The term “empresario” refers to a person who was granted the right to settle on Mexican land in exchange for recruiting new settlers and developing communities in Texas in the early 1800s. In Spanish, “empresario” means entrepreneur. Based on these definitions, the DC-based band Empresarios is aptly named. The first new artist to release their own full-length album on Fort Knox Recordings, Empresarios is blazing new paths in the music consciousness of America like inventive, business-savvy colonizers.

Empresarios combine Latin funk, cumbia, dub and reggaeton in a tech-heavy, groove-thick haze, and their uniqueness is made possible by the band lineup: Javier Miranda (vocals, conga, producer), Sonny Cheeba (Brazilian/Latin DJ, producer), Sammy K (house DJ, producer), John Bowen (video DJ, producer), and Paul Chaconas (guitar, bass, keys, producer, engineer). How many types of DJs and producers does one band need? Despite the seemingly outrageous title dropping among bandmates, Empresarios’ diverse textures on Sabor Tropical make sense out of the mayhem. As the album’s title suggests, Sabor Tropical has a rich, mellow, south-of-the-border feel that doesn’t seem to have any kind of unifying theme. But the tracks manage to string together like sun-bleached shells on a homemade necklace. 

“Siesta” gives new life to an otherwise lazy concept: a speedy, snappy, beat-heavy Latin track with moody horns spontaneously echoing throughout with afternoon lovemaking finesse. “The Source” continues the chill vibe projected by “Siesta,” but diversifies the instruments, creating a more sophisticated sound with an Asian-esque string instrument repetitively drawing out notes while electronic tones ring on top of a fast conga. Sabor Tropical’s title track is the most danceable on the album, and also one of the few songs with vocals featured throughout. Superior percussion, clean horns, and simple vocals make this song the most accessible and salsa-worthy on Sabor Tropical.

At times, Empresarios push too hard. Heavily dub-influenced tracks like “Let It Up” and “Dog Is Everywhere” lack the originality and flow of Sabor Tropical’s other songs. Yet these shortfalls are overshadowed by the band’s collective ingenuity and groove-making. Empresarios blaze new paths in music — the question is whether these new settlements will hold. By Alex Lemonde-Gray

La Femme made me boogie, dudes and dudettes. Legitimately boogie. The EP is quick, so my boogie was quick, but it was still powerful and incredibly sexy. It was also a French boogie; because La Femme is French, I chain-smoked the entire time, and then threw up. Perhaps this made my boogie even more powerful and sexy. Either way, I was trying to be as gorgeous and super sensual as the band is while I boogied. But I couldn’t do it due to a number of reasons.

1. On the cover of Le Podium #1, there is an image of a nude female that was censored with a large black box (I don’t know who the people are who censor, but I imagine they work standard hours). Anyway, this big black box prevented me from seeing the woman, which was even sexier then seeing her — and therefore made it a challenge for me to boogie on such a high level of comparative sexuality. 2. Making one’s own boogie as sexy as a progressive fourth-wave surf outfit from a city nestled in a country that is arguably the most gorgeous on the earth and also has great surf and probably many sexy boogiers of both the aquatic and dance-floor type is a problem of obvious enormity.

I have to say that it is hard to know just how much potential La Femme has. I can say this, though: their ability to outdo my own boogie makes me think there is a lot to come from the group. La Femme has for the first time combined the groove of European trance with the grit of Nashville dive bars and the sunshine of California beachbreaks, and this album is superb by all degrees. By Will Tunstall

Besides boasting one of the coolest names in the United States, East Coasters might not know much about Milwaukee, WI. Situated between the Great Lakes surf meccas of Chicago and Sheboygan, the largest city in Wisconsin actually gets its fair share of frigid windswell. And lying an hour east of iconic Midwestern college town Madison, Milwaukee also claims a solid arts and culture scene with hosts of thriving sub-niches. Take, for example, the burgeoning hip-hop community, brought to EasternSurf.com’s attention thanks to hometown label Uni-Fi Records.

The first Uni-Fi release we got was a burst of fresh air from hip-hop/ indie rock ambassadors Fresh Cut Collective. We’re not talking ‘90s-era wack-ass rap-rock, either — FCC instead combine warm guitar work, modern synth splashes, and even a violin to their decidedly 21st-century sound. Not exactly your typical hip-hop group. Although Adebisi Agoro’s rhymes are front and center on FCC’s self-titled debut, the driving drums of Matthew Gorski and aggressive keyboards of Kiran Vedula make themselves known on catchy album opener “Loveless.” A glitchy beat on “Ridin’” sounds perfect enough to be a sample, but Fresh Cut Collective are loud and proud about their strict emphasis on live instrumentation, which makes straight hip-hop tracks like “Wisdom” all the more impressive.

Modern rap culture is sent up on surefire party-starters like “Group-E,” “Rockstar,” and “Crazy Party,” but after listening to the entire 40-minute Fresh Cut Collective album, you’re more likely to walk away in awe of the group’s subtle yet strong command of their live hip-hop niche. All the highlights of most rap albums are hit in good order: cheeky ballads (“Bumblebee”), straight battle-rap tracks (“Project Talk”), feel-good funk (“Everybody”), positive mission statements (“Never Over”). Stay tuned next week for more from Milwaukee’s surprising hip-hip scene, but for now, rest assured that this unassuming Midwestern city is definitely on the come up. By Nick McGregor

In the ‘60s and ‘70s, instrumental surf music reigned supreme, with Dick Dale regularly hailed as a guitar god and soundtracks to films like Endless Summer going down as classics of the genre. But groovy, sand-in-between-your-toes instrumental licks are about as popular today as dial-up Internet connections, at least when it comes to the mainstream music world. Luckily, Philadelphia-area band The Sea Turtles have reminded us that listening to an album purely as mood music isn’t such a bad thing after all.

Of course, given their feel-good name, The Sea Turtles don’t take things too seriously, keeping the waterborne fare on Head Above Water light, easy to digest, and, above all, fun. The opening title track features quite possibly the most good-natured guitar riff known to man from Bob Trimble, before “Sidewinder” expands a bit with atonal keyboard riffs from Brooke Hendricks. And “Tales” perfectly sums up the band’s ability to marry jazzy meanderings with standard surf rock, while “Buttlerfly Blues” and “Nunyo Bizniz” both detour into a smoky lounge direction.

My favorite tracks on Head Above Water were more adventurous ones like the snarky “The Bog,” the slightly heavier “Dinosaur,” and the weirdly disjointed “Sunshine Jelly,” but straight-ahead surf music fans will surely appreciate “In Here,” “Sea Turtle Blues,” and “Slippery Flippers” for their smiling approximations of waveriding’s mid-‘60s Golden Age. The Sea Turtles aren’t walking on ground that isn’t already well trodden, but they’re bringing back happy instrumental jams at a time when far too many bands take themselves far too seriously. Throw Head Above Water on next time you watch a surf video on mute and you’ll be amazed at how well these Pennsylvania musicians soundtrack the life aquatic. By Nick McGregor