“Machete” marks a new release from Sonido Aguajal, the Marburg-based Latin American collective formed by musicians from Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras. The band continues its work of carrying cumbia, guaracha and merengue across Europe, keeping the sound tied to labour, migration, and celebration. Released on 8 August, the single centres on the reality of field work and the strength it demands.
Electric guitar and bass drive the rhythm, joined by hand percussion that keeps the cumbia cadence taut and direct. The guitar cuts through the mix with the sharpness of the tool in the title, while the bass anchors the song in danceable motion.
The lyrics of “Machete” follow Jota Cuchillos, a field worker who labours under the sun for a few pesos. His machete becomes both a survival tool and a symbol of inequality. The song captures the harshness of rural work — long days, low pay, and social neglect — yet transforms that hardship into rhythm. Beneath its danceable form runs a quiet protest and a tribute to endurance.
Recorded in Marburg by musicians far from their home countries, “Machete” reflects Sonido Aguajal’s view of cumbia as collective memory and resistance.
“Machete” is available now on all platforms