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

Christopher Sluka is often recognized for his severe, extremely technical, expertly composed orchestral work with a trace of synth, however his latest effort is something however severe. Unless you’re from Mexico or the American Southwest, that’s. Those of us residing wherever 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 all the time wanted for the season, because of Sluka and his band, the aptly named SLUKA.

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

In Southern California the place Sluka probably found the normal pocket meals, tamales can be found all yr lengthy at eating places, taco vehicles and even at many locations of enterprise, the place industrious residence cooks will promote them to hungry staff. These home made, recent tamales are thought of the most effective ones amongst SoCal residents within the know; till Christmas, after all, when a great deal of abuelas from all completely different areas and can all completely different recipes get out their huge pots and begin to make them for household and pals. The Christmas tamale-giving season often begins proper after Thanksgiving (with scrumptious turkey tamales making an look, after all) and lasts by the New Year. Anyone fortunate to be a member of the family, pal or neighbor to somebody who makes tamales is aware of really 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 far more lighthearted and enjoyable than SLUKA’s common work, which tends to be dense, emotive and complicated. Clearly meant a minimum of partially for teenagers, “Christmas Tamales” is joyful track, simple to sing alongside to with fairly easy lyrics, virtually like a Christmas Carol. It’s nonetheless acquired that SLUKA flare, nonetheless, 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 simply a contact of cheek, form 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 crew 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 experience by 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 type of trippy, it’s what one would count on if SLUKA did a Christmas video.

While there are probably different songs in regards to the Christmas tamale custom, this one executed 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 effectively on its technique to turning into a family vacation track and it’s a nice technique to tease SLUKA’s upcoming album.