Esto es Eso
Esto es Eso is fresh, unique and altogether “Ecuafornian”, tastefully incorporating classic Ecuadorian guitar music into a mix of hip hop, rock, blues, and reggae. Max Epstein (from Los Angeles, California) had been living in Quito, Pichincha for 3 years when he met local Luis Villamarin. They clicked immediately, and began creating “pasillo-hop”: Spanish-language, nostalgic guitar music combined with urban beats, beatboxing, and English-language rap lyrics. The two recorded with musicians from Ecuador, Argentina, the U.S., Canada and Denmark, producing eleven fresh and inspiring tracks ranging in theme, tempo and emotion. Their catchy, uplifting first single, “Light It Up” (Luis sings in Spanish, Max beatboxes & raps in English) was a total success in Ecuadorian radio as well as video shows: it spent 6 months in rotation on MTV-Latin America and has sold thousands of ringtones on HTV. In Ecuador, “Light It Up” is also the theme song for the hit political satire show En Corto, where Luis and Max have made several appearances, including a live performance of Light It Up last New Year’s Eve. In February, the band was awarded Banda Promesa 2007 (best new group, 2007) at Mis Bandas Nacionales, a national award show presented by one of the most popular radio stations in the country, Hot 106 Radio Fuego, and was recognized at the Premios Principales, held by top 40 radio giant Los 40 Principales in March, 2007. “Reflexiones”, their second single from the debut album, was at the Top 5 on the most successful radio stations in Ecuador. After opening for Guatemalan pop sensation Ricardo Arjona in Ecuador’s largest stadiums, filling up to 30,000 people, Esto es Eso mastered their debut album, Ecuafornia at world-renowned Sterling Sound in NYC in July. October was a big month for the band, with an appearance in Rolling Stone magazine, a performance at the Ecuador/Venezuela World Cup qualifying match in Quito, a trip to the MTV Latin Video Music Awards in Mexico City and the launch of Ecuafornia
