Sávila is the cumbia/Latin/world/surf-inspired project by guitarist Fabiola Reyna, vocalist Brisa Gonzalez and percussionist Papi Fimbres. All three come from Mexican heritage and reside in Portland, Oregon. Reyna and Gonzalez initially met years ago, when Reyna was only 15 and jumped on stage during Gonzalez’s set in Austin, Texas with previous band Swan Island. The two later reunited in Portland and began writing music together. "We're both only-children, Mexican—we just have a lot in common," Gonzalez previously told Willamette Week in an interview. "So I like to think that those kind of relationships are unavoidable." Fimbres was later added after trying out a number of drummers who didn’t stick. "This is the first time I'm in an all-Mexican band," Fimbres says. "It's so cool. I feel like there's a root, there's that connection within the three of us."
“Carnival” comes from the trio’s debut self-titled album, released in August. The song combines the ‘60s surf-rock reminescent of Reyna’s other band La Luz with cumbia rhythms to create a hazy trance-like atmosphere. Although Gonzalez sings in both English and Spanish in Savila, this song is entirely in Spanish. Watch the official video for "Fantasia," also off of SÁVILA, below.
Finding good new music can be a full time job, so let KEXP help! In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery.
Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.