Meet the Latino Artist Reinventing Cumbia with Jazz in the U.S. Underground Scene

Martín Selasco never expected the rhythms of his youth to become a vehicle for both personal identity and musical revolution. But with his project Terror/Cactus, the Argentine American producer is doing just that—spinning cumbia into something hypnotic, electronic, and wildly improvisational, all while staying rooted in Latinidad.

Terror/Cactus' latest release, a two-track single titled La Pantera and Descalzo, dropped this week via New York-based label Names You Can Trust. And this time, Selasco's sonic journey includes a new guest: acclaimed Seattle jazz reedist Kate Olson, who lends baritone sax and clarinet to his borderless sound.

For Selasco, who was born in Buenos Aires and raised in Miami by a record-label-owning father, Latin music was never just background noise—it was the soundtrack of cultural belonging. "Cumbia is what brings me back home," he says. "Even if I'm living in the Pacific Northwest."

Cumbia, originally a folkloric style from Colombia, has been reinvented over decades across Latin America. In Mexico, it's gritty and urban; in Peru, it's psychedelic; in Argentina, it flirts with pop and indie. Selasco absorbs them all and remixes them into something new—a sound that speaks to the children of immigrants and the underground Latinx scenes thriving far from the mainstream spotlight.

"Growing up between cultures, I felt like I didn't fully belong to any one place," he says. "But cumbia—its rhythm, its adaptability—has always felt like home. It's like a heartbeat that connects all of us."

That heartbeat pulses through La Pantera, the A-side of the new single. A track that opens with swirling synths and minimalist percussion soon morphs into something both wild and elegant. Olson's baritone sax grumbles underneath the beat like a feline ready to pounce—precisely the vibe Selasco was aiming for. "She added these expressive growls and squeals that just brought the whole track to life," he says.

On the B-side, Descalzo, Olson switches to clarinet, crafting a dreamy, noir atmosphere over eerie guitar lines. "It's like the score to a film that doesn't exist yet," Selasco says, laughing. "Something shadowy and Latin American, maybe something set in a jungle at night."

The release arrives as Terror/Cactus prepares for a standout performance at Washington's THING Festival on August 16—a rare all-Latin music day where Selasco will share the stage with Mexican DJ and percussionist Pahua. "It's a dream to be part of a lineup that reflects the diversity of Latin music today," he says. "You'll hear everything from electronica to folk to reggaetón—and yes, plenty of cumbia."

Although many of Terror/Cactus's recordings are created solo—Selasco often composes, records, mixes, and edits in his home studio—he thrives on collaboration. "Sometimes I start a track and immediately hear someone's voice or instrument in my head," he says. "Other times, we just jam and see what happens. That's how the best magic happens."

His collaboration with Olson is a testament to that. While their musical backgrounds differ—she's a mainstay in Seattle's jazz and experimental scenes—both artists share a love for risk-taking. "I love working with jazz musicians because they understand space and spontaneity," Selasco says. "They leave room for the unexpected."

Up next for Terror/Cactus is a string of remixes from his acclaimed 2024 album Forastero. First up: Dónde Estás Tú remixed by genre-bending Seattle artist Chong the Nomad, out July 18.

"Remixing is part of our Latin tradition too," Selasco says. "We've always borrowed, sampled, reinvented. It's how we survive and thrive."

As the U.S. Latin music scene grows more diverse—stretching beyond reggaetón and trap to include everything from alt-folklore to avant-garde cumbia—artists like Selasco are leading the charge from the margins.

"People forget that Latin music is not one sound," he says. "It's hundreds of stories, of migrations, of ancestors dancing in the kitchen. This music helps us remember who we are—and who we can become."

Whether you're a jazz head, a cumbia purist, or just a curious listener, La Pantera and Descalzo offer a thrilling new chapter in Latin music's ever-evolving tale.