The music of Queens-based musician Tall Juan frequently eludes genre-descriptors, ever the joyful amalgamation of sounds contemporary and classic, performed in a manner that’s wholly unique. His new single “Irene” is representative of this wide-breadth of influences; a freak-folk instrumental provides the backbone for a modern interpretation of Caetano Veloso’s 1969 track, wherein Juan Zaballa’s vox leaps and bounds with energy reminiscent of his previous garage-rock efforts, albeit this time decidedly more acoustic. Such an approach is demonstrative of Zaballa’s ethos for his forthcoming LP Atlantico, a collage of differing sounds and languages that ultimately pays tribute to the influence of African music in South America. Give it a listen below, ahead of Atlantico’s release next week on May 11th. Photo by Matthew James-Wilson