Ixtepec

Ixtepec begins with a sharp percussion hit that repeats like a heartbeat, but it's not the typical rhythm one expects in a rock song. The track unfolds with a blend of electric and acoustic guitars intertwining without warning, as if the band were testing different paths in real time. There's something in the way the main melody dismantles and reassembles itself that sounds like controlled improvisation, as if each note carried a different weight depending on where it landed. It's not a song that grabs you immediately with a catchy chorus; instead, it wins you over layer by layer: first the rhythm, then the lyrics, and finally the interplay of instruments overlapping without overwhelming.

They recorded it in Cuernavaca, Morelos, in a house that served as an improvised studio, using equipment borrowed from friends. The result sounds like a live recording, but without the typical chaos of such sessions: there's a clarity in the arrangements that suggests they worked on every detail until it fit perfectly. The production was handled by the members of Café Tacvba themselves alongside Gustavo Santaolalla, and the album features collaborations like those of Luis Conte on percussion and Alejandro Flores on violins. The vocalist Rubén Albarrán co-wrote some lyrics under the pseudonym "Cosme," giving the material a more personal touch. It lasts three minutes and twenty-one seconds, but within that time, there are enough twists to keep it from feeling short.