Chile

World's music scenes are full of surprises. I had no idea that Chile had such a great psychedelic music scene and I'm happy to conquer a whole new continent. This is my first post of South America. Excellent cosmic rock, grunge, psychedelia and also more basic indie rock and pop. During my search I found a lot of more traditional latino rhythms and traditional latin American folk music, but I wasn't too pleased with it so this list sounds a bit more in tune with European and North American music. Still, Spanish language in many songs gives its own spice to these songs. Chile also seems to have its own, very unique sound full of great sounds and surprising melodies. I'm sure there would have been many more amazing bands I could not find, but I'm still quite happy with this list. So enjoy this almost two hour playlist of Chile's excellent music scene. The playlist is here: Chile

Föllakzoid
This was the first Chilean band I ever heard of and it blew me away the first time I heard it. Since then (about a year and a half ago) I have been listening to their second album a lot and it's only been getting better with time. Fantastic cosmic rock and hypnotic psychedelia with a twist of Krautrock sound. The sounds are fantastic!

La Hell Gang
Very much like Föllakszoid, La Hell Gang also makes absolutely fantastic cosmic rock with raw sounds and Krautrock influences. Pyschedelic guitars sore above great rhythm section and the sounds are authentic garage brilliance.

The Ganjas
The Ganjas also have that psychedelia sound, but their guitars are not quite as spacey. The sound is more in tune with the 90's grunge. It's like the 13th Floor Elevators and Pearl Jam would have had a child. Excellent hypnotic rock with heavy but authentic electric guitars.

The Holydrug Couple
This band very much represents the psychedelia scene as well, but the sounds are not as heavy as in the previously announced bands' music. The Holydrug Couple's music draws their influences mainly from 60's psychedelia and post rock. Their music reminds me of floating in space in a comforting pillow of hypnosis.

Chicos de Nazca
This psychedelic rock band sounds a lot like the psychedelia bands of the 60's, but there are some more modern and strange space sounds added to the concoction. The music is really hypnotic and probably stoner friendly.

Umbria En Kalafate
This band has its share of psychedelia, but the sounds look into more modern post-rock and post punk rather than 60's music. Clear and haunting electric guitars make up interesting melody patterns and the rhythm section does their work brilliantly.

Watch Out!
This band could easily be one of the rising Californian hipster bands. It has an air of 60's psychedelia, but the songs are more pop-oriented. The sounds are quite old, but still the songwriting makes this music really modern. This is for all you pot heads out there!

Aguaturbia
This must be where it all began. Aguaturbia is proper 60's & 70's psychedelia band. Their music has great influence of the hippy era and the sounds are absolutely fantastic. Every person in the band plays their part brilliantly and the sounds are as lo-fi as you could imagine of a 60's Chilean band.

Los Jaivas
This band is one of the weirdest I've ever heard. They mix heavy guitars, psychedelic and progressive rock, latin rhythms and even some flute music similar to that of the native Latin American tribes. It all concocts into this psychedelic fiesta of hypnotic music.

Los Beat 4
If you're a fan of 60's psychedelia, Los Beat 4 will be right up your alley. Their music sounds a lot like the songs on Nuggets compilation, only sung in Spanish. There are great electric guitars and hypnotic psychedelia feel.

Los Bunkers
If you imagine this band's music in English language it would not really be any different from some 2000's British indie rock bands. Danceable pumping guitar indie with great melodies. I can really see myself dancing to this in a small indie club gig.

Intimate Stranger
This band reminds me of modern post-punk bands such as Warpaint or Women's Hour. Female singer and dark and echoey guitars combined with heavy drumming and hypnotic sounds. Intimate Stranger could definitely make its way into the indie mainstream of today.

Prehistöricos
This indie pop/rock band sounds a lot like some of the Icelandic bands I know. I guess it's due to high-pitched vocals with (to me) incomprehensible lyrics and music that rises from calm pop to loud post-rock. Absolutely fantastic indie with brilliant sounds.

Los Fictions
This band makes familiar sounding Americana folk/rock with Spanish vocals. it reminds me of Calexico's Spanish songs. The songs roll beautifully and guitars are skilfully played.There's a certain melancholy in the sounds, but also the latin roots are there without making too strong effect.

Matías Cena
This singer-songwriter actually collaborates with Los Fictions, but his solo stuff is quite similar. Melancholic melodies and beautifully rolling Americana. Electric guitars and violins weep beautifully over acoustic guitar and skilful rhythm section.

Leo Quinteros
This indie band uses modern space age sounds in their melancholic pop/rock. The Spanish language sounds a bit weird in this music, since I have not been accustomed to hear Spanish in melancholic and dark songs. It's refreshing change for all my English music.

Protistas
This band plays excellent indie rock with blinking guitars and melodic bass lines. The organs also give their spacey sound to the mix. There are some traces of psychedelic scene and post-rock, but still the songs follow the more traditional pop paths.

Denver
Denver's music is quite dreamy indie pop with modern sounds. Quiet guitar comp working rises high into post-rock-like grande sound paintings. The song on the list, Lo Que Quieras, actually uses the familiar theme from Jurassic Park brilliantly!

Congelador
Easygoing and hypnotic indie music with spices of psychedelia. Congelador's music is not all great, but those songs that I like, I like quite a lot. They have a great sense of drama making their songs to rise high above the clouds.

Javiera & Los Imponsibles
This indie pop/rock band also plays with progressive rhythmic changes and electric guitars familiar from psychedelic scene, but their songs are way more pop even containing some disco beats. Excellent quirky indie music sung in Spanish.

Francisca Venezuela
I think there's a definite existing genre of singer-songwriter women, who make danceable pop songs with classy instrumentation and excellent melodies. I guess you might compare Venezuela's music to that of Regina Spektor's most danceable songs.

Ana Tijoux
Ana Tijoux's music is a mix of melodic hip hop and indie pop. Some of her songs are even more rap oriented, but I think she's strongest when making great melodies. Her quite hard Spanish pronunciation sounds weird but really great!

Teleradio Donoso
This band's danceable and poppy indie rock song on this list would definitely be a big international hit, if they would sing in English. I think, on the other hand that it's great to hear this great music in other languages as well. Excellent and classy indie!

Los Tres
I don't really like most of Los Tres' music, but there are some great songs in there. Most of their music is like some weird Latin version of ska. Their quieter songs have beautiful latin melancholy that I quite like.

Se Saloon
De Saloon plays power pop with guitars on overdrive and drums beating fast. The mixing is done quite poorly, which is a shame, because their songs are quite good and with a bit different kind of sounds this would sound a lot better. Still, worth listening to.

Banda Conmoción
This band comes closest to the traditional latin rhythms on this list. There are a lot of brass instruments and a huge band of traditional latin folk instruments. Their music is vibrant and wild with great rhythm for dancing. I can hear some similarities to Balkan music here.