El Shirota is the most exciting band to emerge from Mexico’s underground rock scene. Their name comes from a bacteria found in probiotic dairy—but don't worry, they won’t be the next thing infecting you at Leo’s. Although the four-piece band has been active since 2013, they decided to hone in on crafting their unique soundscape rather than rushing to release an album. During this time, the band gained a devout following while playing in small local shows and festivals.
In the winter of 2019, the band lived together in a house recording for a little over a month, during which they created their first full-length album Tiempos Raros. Throughout this album, the the band leans more into their noise and post-hardcore roots, but still blends their raw vocal crescendos with hypnotic repeating bass lines.
Like many of their contemporaries in the Mexican underground rock scene, El Shirota takes inspiration from multiple genres like post-punk, grunge, and alt-rock classics, and are particularly influenced by bands like Nirvana and Weezer. At times, the band echoes both the aggressive distorted tones of bands like Title Fight and Slint’s experimental approach to guitar.
Lyrically, the band tends to understate their content. They prefer to let simple yet poetic phrases drive the themes, which can lend to a melancholic flavor that compliments their already emotional instrumental droning, heard in “A Donde Voy (Revamp).” While it reflects the isolation felt when wandering aimlessly alone, I'm certain the song’s melodies won’t leave you lonely. El Shirota is a band ready to take the world by storm with a sound that could only come out of Mexico.
Artwork: Guillermo Anda aka 'Guiyer'
Alfonso is a Sophomore in the SFS studying Culture and Politics