Babasónicos

What defines Babasónicos is not so much their origins in Lanús, but rather the sound they crafted together to break away from what was being played in Argentine rock in the early 90s. The name says it all: it blends the guru Sai Baba with La Pistola Sónica, a nod to their intention of firing something different. The core lineup consisted of Adrián «Dárgelos» Rodríguez and Diego «Uma-T» Tuñón, but soon joined by Diego Rodríguez (Dárgelos’ brother), Diego Castellano on drums, Gabriel Mannelli on bass, and Mariano Domínguez on guitar. Together, in 1992, they recorded Pasto at a country house in Ezeiza, with Gustavo Cerati as producer. The album debuted with D-Generación as their calling card, a track that led them to open for Soda Stereo and establish themselves as one of the most original faces of that «new Argentine rock,» which included bands like Juana La Loca or Los Brujos.

The breakthrough came with Trance Zomba, released in 1994. That year, they officially added DJ Peggyn — rare for local rock at the time — and the album became a rhythm laboratory: funk, rap, hardcore, and even psychedelic touches, all mixed with riffs from Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin. The result sounded like a band unwilling to stick to a single style. In 1995, they closed Obras with Los Brujos and Peligrosos Gorriones in a show that blended hip-hop, soul, and even disco — something that at the time sounded like madness but today feels like prophecy.