When Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana first unveiled their supergroup, ASTROPICAL, it felt like an inevitable fusion—two sonic universes colliding to birth a project that was both electric and deeply organic. Now, with the release of their full-length debut album , they’ve crystallized that magic into something even greater: a body of work that pulses with life, love, the astral rhythms of the tropics and a dab of ecstasy. It’s more than an album—it’s an invitation to step into a universe where joy, introspection, and dance floor coexist in perfect harmony.
From the opening rhythms, ASTROPICAL pulls us into its gravitational field. “Brinca” sets the tone with a kinetic, euphoric energy, like a sunrise hitting the waves, while “Me Pasa”retains its shimmering Afrobeats groove, reminding us why this supergroup was destined to happen. But the deeper cuts reveal even more layers. “Fogata”, a highlight both sonically and visually, burns slow and bright, carrying an existential weight that lingers long after the song fades. Director Paola Ossa’s vision for the music video—centering on love that exists beyond the need for explanation—mirrors the spirit of the entire project: boundless, soulful, and deeply human.
“El amor intenso y duro, como los espresso” – Beto Montenegro en Una Noche in Caracas
Personally, this album was just the uplifting that I needed to pull me out of the daily funk that at times consumes. What makes ASTROPICAL so captivating is its relatability and ability to balance experimental textures with the warmth of personal, lived experience. The astrological collection of soulful sounds represents us all. “Calentita” (my personal Aries namesake) embodies this contrast—Montenegro’s smooth, almost teasing delivery against Saumet’s commanding presence, and their voices dancing over an Afro-house beat with nods to reggaetón legends such as el Tego Calde. Elsewhere, elements of champeta, cumbia, and electronic soundscapes weave together effortlessly, a testament to the collective’s musical intuition. It’s as if they’re channeling something greater than themselves—a shared story, a shared vision, a shared rhythm that transcends borders, genders and time.
“Siento que el mundo gira lento, cuando rosa tu cuerpo tan cerquita de mi” – Li Saumet in Siento
Now, that rhythm is set to travel across the globe. With a U.S. tour announcement dropping Monday, ASTROPICAL is about to become more than just a sonic experience. This is music meant to be felt in the heat of a live crowd, under festival lights and bodies moving together in the universal language of sound. Their upcoming Vive Latino and Estéreo Picnic performances will be the first glimpses of this new era, a rebirth not just for the artists involved, but for the fans who have followed their journeys.
For Saumet and Montenegro, this project was never about industry expectations or commercial formulas—it was about answering an unshakable creative call. “Everything in this world is about energy,” Saumet says, and ASTROPICAL radiates it in every note. It’s a reminder that music and love, at their best, are alchemy. It transforms, it heals, it brings us together. For more on that, read here.
With this debut, ASTROPICAL has given us something rare: a cosmic, Caribbean heartbeat illuminated by its fogata that ignites us all.
