Thank You SLUKA! There’s Finally a Song About ‘Christmas Tamales!’ [Video]

Christopher Sluka is normally recognized for his severe, extremely technical, expertly composed orchestral work with a touch of synth, however his latest effort is something however severe. Unless you’re from Mexico or the American Southwest, that’s. Those of us dwelling anyplace from Colorado to Baja California know simply how vital tamales are year-round, to not point out Christmas. Now, “Christmas Tamales” is the anthem to the corn-based parcels we at all times wanted for the season, due to Sluka and his band, the aptly named SLUKA.

The lore of the tamale is huge and diverse, its origins relationship again millennia to Mesoamerican cultures however their present type, which impressed Sluka’s rousing Christmas ode, are nonetheless very a lot a staple wherever one may discover a big Hispanic tradition. Made of a corn masa base and wrapped normally in corn husks (in Southern Mexican and Central American areas, banana leaves are additionally a potential selection), they differ by way of their taste and filling. Traditional savory selections are normally rooster or pork with some kind of mole (sauce), however there are veggie inexperienced chile varieties in addition to a great deal of candy choices with white corn and full of raisins, pineapples of mangoes.

In Southern California the place Sluka doubtless found the standard pocket meals, tamales can be found all yr lengthy at eating places, taco vans and even at many locations of enterprise, the place industrious dwelling cooks will promote them to hungry employees. These home made, contemporary tamales are thought-about the very best ones amongst SoCal residents within the know; till Christmas, in fact, when a great deal of abuelas from all totally different areas and can all totally different recipes get out their large pots and begin to make them for household and associates. The Christmas tamale-giving season normally begins proper after Thanksgiving (with scrumptious turkey tamales making an look, in fact) and lasts by means of the New Year. Anyone fortunate to be a member of the family, good friend or neighbor to somebody who makes tamales is aware of actually how magical they’re, and it’s clear that is the kind of tamale about which Sluka and his band are singing their praises.

The track itself is way more lighthearted and enjoyable than SLUKA’s common work, which tends to be dense, emotive and complicated. Clearly meant a minimum of partially for youths, “Christmas Tamales” is joyful track, simple to sing alongside to with fairly easy lyrics, nearly like a Christmas Carol. It’s nonetheless received that SLUKA flare, nevertheless, with a great deal of heat, ambient sound design and synth supporting the well-composed and produced music. Sluka’s vocals themselves are booming and jovial with only a contact of cheek, kind of like Jack Black’s in Tenacious D songs. An ideal carol to everybody’s favourite Christmas meals in Mexico and the American Southwest.

Sluka and his group additionally created an equally enjoyable and family-forward animated video for “Christmas Tamales” utilizing AI made by SLUKA bass participant, Anna Eppink. The video is a wild journey by means of a Christmas wonderland the place yetis store for and put together the Christmas tamales. Tamales additionally dance within the sky because the band play the track. Whimsical, festive and sort of trippy, it’s what one would anticipate if SLUKA did a Christmas video.

While there are doubtless different songs in regards to the Christmas tamale custom, this one achieved with such gusto and enjoyable means “Christmas Tamales” may very well be an immediate traditional. With almost 200k views on the YouTube video already and 30k streams on Spotify, it’s properly on its method to turning into a family vacation track and it’s an effective way to tease SLUKA’s upcoming album.