KINKY is: Gilberto Cerezo (vocals) Carlos Chairez (guitar) Omar Góngora (drums) Ulises Lozano (keyboards/programming) Cesar Pliego (bass) After four studio albums, Monterrey, Mexico’s KINKY are still doing it, and doing it well. Since their self-titled debut release in 2002, the band has received multiple nominations from both the Latin Grammy Recording Academy and the Latin MTV Video Music Awards (including a 2008 nomination for Best Alternative Group). The group has toured with artists as legendary and diverse as the Flaming Lips, Shakira, Los Lonely Boys, Cake and De La Soul, and has commanded the stage at large festivals such as Coachella, Voodoo Music Experience and Central Park Summer Stage. They’ve also had great success in the TV/film world with over 60 placements in TV shows (like 90210, CSI Miami and Dexter), commercials (like Nissan and Pontiac) and video games (like EA’s Need For Speed 2009). While fierce tunes have been bursting from these rockers for a decade now, the new full-length creation BARRACUDA finds the quintet even sharper and more playfully dangerous than ever before. The album demonstrates the band’s evolution, yet maintains the essence of what has become KINKY’s distinguishing seal—their experimentation with sounds and their infectious dance rhythms. KINKY had long been known for self-producing their albums, but for the first time, they invited a couple of friends to join them in their studio to co-produce some tracks. One of these friends was former Beastie Boys collaborator Money Mark, who helped inspire KINKY to a new level of passion for playing on BARRACUDA. “He helped us free ourselves of influences we’ve had for a long time,” says guitarist Carlos Chairez. “He let us compose in a way we haven’t before. That was very healthy.” The band also worked with fellow Mexican ex-pat Chico Sonido, an imaginative up-and-coming DJ with an obsession for hunting down rare and precious beats from around the world; he co-produced the epic party single, “Hasta Quermanos.” BARRACUDA finds singer and lyricist Gilberto Cerezo drawing inspiration from the thrilling to the terrifying. One of the most jubilant sounding songs on the album is “Avión,” where tough guitar riffs meet flighty keyboards in an infectious groove. But the song was borne out of KINKY’s harrowing experience flying on a small, malfunctioning plane, with Cerezo frantically scribbling lyrics on a champagne bottle the band had just been given to celebrate a successful concert. KINKY’s second home of Los Angeles, CA has also had an audible influence on BARRACUDA as the warm sounds of analogue keyboards cozy up with rock guitar and percussion. “I think it has affected our music in a bunch of ways,” Cerezo says of the City of Angels. “It’s easy to get gear and information about instruments and old synthesizers or just advice from engineers around town here, so that’s had a huge impact technologically.” A token of affection from its West Coast home, KINKY was bestowed the honor of penning the theme song for soccer team the L.A. Galaxy, “We Are the Galaxy,” in 2007. “That was right when David Beckham had joined, and everyone was really excited, so that was a great experience!” says Chairez. “From a writing standpoint, it’s inspiring to be around the woods and the mountains and to go out at night and always find new characters in Hollywood,” says Cerezo. “It’s kind of a slap in the face of information, but you just translate it into songs!” That slap in the face goes some way towards describing the heady whirlwind of BARRACUDA’s beats, from the propulsive “Masacre Sónica” and “Por La Boca” to the electro-bop of the unthinkable “The Day I Lost the Beat” and the sleek, infectious rhythm of “Those Girls” featuring Randy Ebright of Mexican rock band Molotov. KINKY’s ripped out one serious chunk of funk. Steel yourself for the love bites.