If you’re like me, you might’ve been sleeping on A.CHAL — the trippy Peruvian-born wordsmith and producer whose bars switch from English to Spanish to Spanglish and back like a dirt bike churning over an uneven jungle path.
The millennial’s expansive vibe pulls from ’80s synthpop and goth, with underlying hints of trap, corridos tumbados, rock en español and reggaeton. A.CHAL in many ways embodies today’s diverse Latinx musicscape — a broad category that has been propelled into the stratosphere by genre-bending artists like Bad Bunny, Karol G, Kali Uchis, Peso Pluma and so many others.
A.CHAL’s new work could easily fit on a playlist of that caliber. And on Thurs., Apr. 4, he’ll be pulling up to the Bay to perform at The Chapel in San Francisco’s Mission District as part of his nationwide tour.
With his latest album release, ESPÍRITU, A.CHAL — whose family immigrated to Queens, New York when he was only four years old — is entering his prime. After recently spending two years in his native country exploring the mountainside of Trujillo, Peru, the blossoming artist is hitting his stride and garnering national attention. At times, A.CHAL sounds like a young Latinx Weeknd. On other tracks, he’s reminiscent of a lazy-flowing Benito.
Though he may be new to some West Coast listeners, A.CHAL has been a factor for years. He’s someone that Cold Medina, a local Mexican and Nicaraguan rapper from Frisco, has had on his radar for some time. Cold Medina will be opening up for A.CHAL on his Bay Area stop.