courtesy of Federico Aubele

Typically, when you think of Americana and music inspired by the Americas, twangy country and rootsy rock n’ roll generally come to mind. This is not the case with Federico Aubele’s sophomore release Panamericana, which acts as a musical mapping of the arduous and almost unfathomable journey from one end of the Americas to the other on the Pan American Highway—beginning in Fairbanks, Alaska, and finishing at the tip of Cape Horn, Argentina. A culmination of these disparate climates and cultural influences of the vast territory that constitutes the Americas—North America, South America and everything in between—can be heard on this sumptuous Spanish language effort.

courtesy of Federico Aubele

Panamericana is an album of sensuous longing; Aubele’s palpable homesickness for his hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina, is implied in every lonesome, melancholy guitar chord and with each trilling horn blast (the multi-instrumentalist has been living throughout Europe). The Americas and the ride back home, which is the sustained metaphor for the lavish 13 tracks on Panamericana, imbue this album with an eclectic world music flair, incorporating tango rhythms, swaying classical guitar and a fervent horn section with hip hop-inspired beats and a slow-motion dub bassline. Panamericana features an array of guest musicians like singer/songwriter Amparo Sanchez, vocalist Natalia Clavier, American indie rock favorites Calexico and legendary Argentine ska outfit Los Fabulosos Cadillacs in addition to sleek production courtesy of Thievery Corporation’s Eric Hilton. Take this sonic journey with Federico Aubele when he plays the Independent on Wednesday, October 31, and Thursday, November 1.