Atlopalo’s latest single “Chagrinning” (streaming) clocks in at just under six minutes, but all told it contains more arcs and bends than many contemporary records. It has the lyricism and production of a contemporary hip-hop track, without shying away from dexterous instrumentation. The single undulates synesthetically, the focus shifting from whispered vocals, to a sparse and airy piano interlude, and finally engages in a raucous instrumental section of clashing drums and 8-bit inspired guitar acrobatics. Just as you think the song is fading out, all parts previously considered hit you in unison, like a misjudged wall. You'd think this outlandish arrangement would shake any sense of proprietary markings, but the piece remains thematically consistent throughout and presents a band with a sublime and singular voice. You can see Altopalo live at Glasslands on August 27. - Emilio Herces

The cyber world which we inherently occupy has developed a uniqe quality of randomness. Something that has continued to quantify into an amalgamation of genres, styles and information in general.  Brooklyn-based, Altopalo, is a perfect example of this.  Their debut single, "Picchu Machu", is a wonderful experiment of genre-mashing; the song is incredibly hard to explain, yet exists in an oddly familiar world.  Listening to "Picchu Machu" feels like riding a pogo stick through RnB vocals over down-tempo, house beats with breakdowns that border on ambience.  Most impressive is that they're a live band, combining live drums and guitar with samples and synths providing a surreal analog vs. digital landscape.  You can catch them live this Wednesday July 16 at Radio Bushwick. - Jake Saunders

This band submitted their music for coverage here. We added this song to The Deli's playlist of Best Electronic songs by emerging NYC artists - check it out!