AKIRA’s ‘Niños del Bosque’ Dances Between Past and Future

With Niños del Bosque (“Children of the Forest”), AKIRA is doing more than releasing his debut—he’s introducing a genre he calls Psychedelic Cumbia.

This fusion of traditional Latin rhythms with cinematic guitar textures, dub-inspired bass, and atmospheric reverb is his way of honouring the past while creating a fresh, contemporary sound. For fans of Ilan Amores, Los Espíritus, Hermanos Gutiérrez, and even Damas Gratis, this is uncharted territory worth exploring.

The album opens with Kumbia de los Pájaros, a ceremonial invitation into AKIRA’s forest—both a physical and symbolic space. From there, each track expands the sonic palette: La Faldita is a playful dance number, while Mononoke draws on mythic warrior energy, nodding to Studio Ghibli’s beloved film. AKIRA uses these shifts not as genre-hopping but as branches of the same tree, connected by a shared heartbeat.

Central to his approach is the belief that rhythm is more than entertainment—it’s a form of storytelling and resistance. In Cumbia del Bosque, the percussion drives forward like a march, while in La Del Ladrón, it becomes a pulse of critique and self-examination. The interplay between movement and meaning is a hallmark of the record.

Beyond its musicality, Niños del Bosque is rich in cultural reference. Songs like Abuelita and Abuele x Abueli speak to heritage, ancestry, and the importance of remembering where you come from. This grounding in history gives the album an emotional depth that makes its grooves resonate even deeper.

By the end of its ten tracks, AKIRA has not only presented a debut but a manifesto: that Latin music can be experimental without losing its roots, and that tradition and innovation are not enemies but allies.