The Sexican

If you're looking for the same old bubblegum pop music and soft alternative that has saturated the airwaves in recent years, keep looking. If you're interested in some very unique and intricate melodies with gravelly vocals and a gipsy rhythm, welcome to the world of The Sexican. Their energetic songs and brilliant edge will be sure to bring out the Sexican in you as well. Conscription is a fantastic compilation of gipsy music with a Spanish flair and extremely well-executed musicianship.
The Sexican consists of Mike H on vocals and gipsy guitar, Soeren 'Gimmster' Damgaard on bass, Henrik 'Moustache' Bak on lead guitar, Rasmus Sitarz on percussion, and Rasmus Boegelund on trumpet. With names and skills like this, you simply can't go wrong. Conscription opens with "Gringo Vendetta" and it sets a nice pace for the rest of the album. The amazingly energetic rhythms will get the feet moving and the soul dancing. The vocals come across as slightly gritty, which is the perfect compliment to the music. Listeners will envision a hostile desert landscape, rife with cacti and coyotes, but filled with a warm light that only The Sexican can provide.
"La Muneca" is a great piece of music that really carries a gipsy tone and brings to mind the purest freedom to simply dance and enjoy life. This music is nothing if not invigorating. "Darkened Highway" contains some stellar trumpet work and strong vocals with lyrics that will hit home to many people from all walks of life. This piece of intricate music highlights the skills of The Sexican to create exceptional tempos and smooth transitions. "The Industry" changes the pace a bit and carries an essence of blues and jazz, straight out of the bootlegging era of the 1920's. The vocals are exceptionally well-delivered, likewise the instrumentation.
"The Earth Is Still Flat" is a great piece of musical brilliance with traces of the Old World coupled effortlessly with the modern world. This is not your typical band, nor is it your typical spoon-fed music, and this offering clearly showcases the unique variety that The Sexican has bestowed upon the world. "Le Tour" kicks it up a notch with exceptional guitar work and a beat that begs to be danced to. The Sexican is nothing if not fun, and this song will no doubt become a fan favorite. The album closes with "A Bible And A Gun," which is in itself a great title for a song. There is a carnival essence to this song that will bring a feeling of belonging and daring to the soul.
Conscription in by no means a conventional album of conventional music, and The Sexican is nowhere close to being ordinary. The unique sound, music, and performance of this band is nothing short of fascinating. The pure energy that this band exhibits is phenomenal and the vivid imagery that their songs conjure forth is mind blowing. The sound quality is absolutely stellar throughout the entire album, the musicianship is completely solid, and the music itself is inspiring and completely extraordinary. Don't look for the average every day music here. You will be disappointed. Open your mind to the possibilities of what real musicians can accomplish, and you will be delighted by this album.
Artist: The Sexican
Album: Conscription
Reviewed by Rhonda Readence, Exciting City Magazine / Review You 5 stars (out of 5) - Review You (US)

If you're looking for the same old bubblegum pop music and soft alternative that has saturated the airwaves in recent years, keep looking. If you're interested in some very unique and intricate melodies with gravelly vocals and a gipsy rhythm, welcome to the world of The Sexican. Their energetic songs and brilliant edge will be sure to bring out the Sexican in you as well. Conscription is a fantastic compilation of gipsy music with a Spanish flair and extremely well-executed musicianship.
The Sexican consists of Mike H on vocals and gipsy guitar, Soeren 'Gimmster' Damgaard on bass, Henrik 'Moustache' Bak on lead guitar, Rasmus Sitarz on percussion, and Rasmus Boegelund on trumpet. With names and skills like this, you simply can't go wrong. Conscription opens with "Gringo Vendetta" and it sets a nice pace for the rest of the album. The amazingly energetic rhythms will get the feet moving and the soul dancing. The vocals come across as slightly gritty, which is the perfect compliment to the music. Listeners will envision a hostile desert landscape, rife with cacti and coyotes, but filled with a warm light that only The Sexican can provide.
"La Muneca" is a great piece of music that really carries a gipsy tone and brings to mind the purest freedom to simply dance and enjoy life. This music is nothing if not invigorating. "Darkened Highway" contains some stellar trumpet work and strong vocals with lyrics that will hit home to many people from all walks of life. This piece of intricate music highlights the skills of The Sexican to create exceptional tempos and smooth transitions. "The Industry" changes the pace a bit and carries an essence of blues and jazz, straight out of the bootlegging era of the 1920's. The vocals are exceptionally well-delivered, likewise the instrumentation.
"The Earth Is Still Flat" is a great piece of musical brilliance with traces of the Old World coupled effortlessly with the modern world. This is not your typical band, nor is it your typical spoon-fed music, and this offering clearly showcases the unique variety that The Sexican has bestowed upon the world. "Le Tour" kicks it up a notch with exceptional guitar work and a beat that begs to be danced to. The Sexican is nothing if not fun, and this song will no doubt become a fan favorite. The album closes with "A Bible And A Gun," which is in itself a great title for a song. There is a carnival essence to this song that will bring a feeling of belonging and daring to the soul.
Conscription in by no means a conventional album of conventional music, and The Sexican is nowhere close to being ordinary. The unique sound, music, and performance of this band is nothing short of fascinating. The pure energy that this band exhibits is phenomenal and the vivid imagery that their songs conjure forth is mind blowing. The sound quality is absolutely stellar throughout the entire album, the musicianship is completely solid, and the music itself is inspiring and completely extraordinary. Don't look for the average every day music here. You will be disappointed. Open your mind to the possibilities of what real musicians can accomplish, and you will be delighted by this album.
Artist: The Sexican
Album: Conscription
Reviewed by Rhonda Readence, Exciting City Magazine / Review You 5 stars (out of 5) - Review You (US)

Bastard folk-punk: Iført mexicansk sombrero og fake fransk kunstner-skæg skabte Danish Music Award-nominerede The Sexican en folkpunk-fest på KUL i Nordkraft.

For frygtelig mange år siden var der et irsk folkband, The Pogues, som kunne fyrer den af live, så ikke et punk-øje var tørt. Det danske band The Sexican har samme fine kvalitet. De kan fusionere musikgenrer, så restaurant Nomas madeksperimenter virker som udkogte kartofler med brun sovs. The Sexicans musikalske gryde damper af sydamerikansk revolutionsrøst, ungarsk sigøjnermol, sydstatsblues og franske chansons rørt op med rock og tilsat totalt gang-i-den og Yihaa!!-udråb fra scenen.

Og det smager forrygende denne aften, hvor der bliver svajet og danset igennem i Nordkrafts gamle kulkælder til lyden af et suverænt velspillende band med den talentfulde, kun 20årige, Lasse Fisker bag kedlerne.

Du har måske hørt The Sexicans Tour de France-sang "Le Tour", der er blevet TV2s officielle Tour-signatur? Ellers kan du tjekke sangen og andre af samme skuffe ud på: thesexican.dk - Mogens Rude (DK)

La fusión de ritmos es la especialidad de la banda danesa The Sexican, quienes pisarán por primera vez México dentro del Festival Internacional de Música (FIM).

Con la influencia del mariachi, como ellos mismos dicen, la música gitana francesa, los sonidos de Europa del Este y el rock, The Sexican pretenden conquistar al público tapatío.

El cantante Mikel H. comentó que esta visita a nuestro país, es “un sueño pequeño de ir a la patria que nos ha dado mucha experiencia y superación para hacer nuestra música. Hemos estado nerviosos de cómo ibas a visitarlos”, luego rió, expresando su nerviosismo.

En un viaje por su primer EP de 2008, titulado The Sexican, su álbum The Summoning de 2010 y su single de 2011, Le Tour; la banda mostrará su creatividad en la música, donde las letras también son propositivas con temas de la sociedad actual.

La idea de crear esta banda y justamente con estos ritmos, es porque Mikel H. vivió un tiempo en Caracas, Venezuela y visitó Cuba, donde conoció la tradición del mariachi, comentó, además aprendió a tocar un poco de flamenco. - El Milenio (DK)

Esta por comenzar la FIM en Guadalajara, y parece todo marchar muy bien, entre la lista de bandas que se presetarán durante dicho festival, aparece The Sexican, pero ¿quienes son ellos se preguntaran?

The Sexican es una banda Danesa, que encontró su inspiración en los filmes de Quentin Tarantino y logro una mezcal de ritmos entre los cuales destacan el rock gitano, punk y hasta toques de mariachi.

Su nombre derivado de Sexi y Mexican * The Sexican

La influencia de su estilo musical se debe a una casualidad, explica, vivencias en sus viajes por diferentes países, al conocer distintas culturas explica:

“Es una historia larga y llena de casualidades. En 1994 fui a vivir a Venezuela, ahí vi su cultura, también las películas norteaméricanas, entonces toqué en grupos de salsa, merengue”, así comenzó todo, dijo.
El músico recuerda que nunca había tocado al estilo del mariachi pero con las películas de Tarantino se inspiró y luego comenzó a mezclar esos ritmos con el rock.

En la actualidad presentan una mezcla amplia con un menú más nutrido con la fuerza del flamenco, el colorido de la música gitana y los sonidos característicos de las películas del viejo oeste. - Distorcion Rock (MX)

Det er efterhånden blevet svært at finde musiktraditioner, som ikke allerede for længst er blevet absorberet i den vestlige musikalske mainstream. Disse seks gutter har vendt sig mod den mexicanske mariachi-musik, hvilket jo er originalt nok, bortset fra at den stilistisk set ikke ligger forfærdeligt langt fra den klezmer- og sigøjnermusik, som er blevet voldsomt moderne blandt de unge og smarte herhjemme de senere år.

Anyway, gruppen spiller nu fremragende, ikke mindst guitaristerne (check den korte, men gnistrende elektriske solo i "Cuarto De La banda"), og med forsanger Mike Hs hviskende vokal i front bringes behagelige mindelser om Tom Waits' firserudgivelser. Bandet får endvidere hjælp af amerikanske Neill C. Furio, som herhjemme er bedst kendt for sit sangskriversamarbejde med Marie Frank.

Her messer Furio henover i gruppens opdatering af den græske myte om Orpheus, og det er svært at være blind for musikkens oplagte cinematiske kvaliteter. Denne anmelder kan ikke helt undslippe en fornemmelse af at have hørt det hele før, men veludført – det er det bestemt. - GAFFA (DK)

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Foto: Cortesía
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Foto: Cortesía
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Foto: Cortesía
Un rock danés con toque de mariachi

Inspirados en los filmes del director estadounidense Quentin Tarantino, el quinteto danés The Sexican inició su proyecto musical con una mezcla tonos donde conjugó el sonido del mariachi con el rock gitano y toques de punk contestatario.
El inspirado Mike H, vocalista de la banda, dijo a Publimetro que su música se define distinto en cada país, con cada entrevista, por lo cual él tiene su propia versión.
“Suena como a Quentin Tarantino que viene al sur de México para encontrarse con Steve McQueen –reconocido porque en toda su vida como actor, jamás utilizó un doble de acción– que ha fumado demasiada marihuana”, dice y sonríe.
Se trata de un concepto propio en el que, sin quererlo, hacen una exploración de sonidos del mundo.
La influencia de su estilo musical se debe a una casualidad, explica, vivencias en sus viajes por diferentes países, al conocer distintas culturas. - PubliMetro (MX)

The Sexican is a Danish band founded in 2006 with roots in mariachi, gypsy, klezmer, and alternative folk/rock genres. Lead vocalist and guitarist, Mike H., is joined by Soeren Damgaard on bass, Henrik Bak on electric guitar, Lasse Jakobsen on violin and mandolin, Rasmus Sitarz on war drums and percussion, and Rasmus Boegelund on trumpet. The latest album, Conscription, highlights the diverse instrumental and vocal talents from wide-reaching sources.
“Gringo Vendetta” opens with a solo trumpet, old western-type percussion, and rugged, deep vocals with a few bird cackles. The acoustic guitar accompanies the deep vocal performance and solo trumpet. However, the music quickly shifts into an uppity violin tune with a heady and speedy tempo. The vocals are somewhat indistinct in parts and the instrumentation is so fast it is almost Balkan speed folk. However, the acoustic guitar lightens the tempo and sound a bit mid- song. The whirling violin screeches with organic sounds and effervescent tempos that leave the other instruments in the dust. Still, the song creates an energetic result that is pure genius.
“La Muneca” begins with a brief sound-bite from a commercial before the fiddle, drums, and horns lead the song in a swift direction with energetic arrangements and deep, Spanish vocals. This is Spanish-Balkan folk music at its finest. The trumpet is triumphant and a positive force throughout. Some vocals are in English. There are almost occurrences of urban hip hop in a sort of klezmer-type of delivery. At any rate, the song incorporates a brief array of different tones and melodies with the end of the song finishing up the opening commercial.
“You Sheep Me Never” opens with real sheep sounds. However, there are mechanized vocals amidst a backdrop of punchy guitar, percussion, and other instruments in a quick tempo display. The party-like sounds are psychedelic and funky with wavering guitars and blues-rock sounds. The muffled vocals are rather deep and incongruent mid-song. The mechanical or electronic vocal overlays could have been left out, but the song is still upbeat and different.
“Bennys World Of Blood” opens with a classic, radio-type vocal set and a lilting guitar. The sound quickly delves into a punchy mandolin, guitar, drum, and rock song with heavier vocals and a Balkan-grass medley. There are varied spoken vocals and sung vocals—both male and female. However, the radio or television-like snippets add another layer of texture to the sounds. The deep, bluesy, and rock-infused vocals are a little loud and harsh, but that does not negatively affect the song too much.
“The Earth Is Still Flat” begins with a few nature sounds and a lilting guitar, violin, and drums commence after a few seconds. Then, relatively deep male vocals accompany the nature sounds and instrumentation. Mid-song, the violin, drums, and mandolin create a whirling melody of avant-garde pleasure, classical elements, and modern fusion for an engaging result. However, the vocals are relatively lethargic and uninspiring.
The Sexican melds the romanticism of European classicism with the hearty and engaging musical connections of Latin America and the Old West. Some of the vocals are rather deep and difficult to understand. Moreover, some of the vocals hinder the instrumentation by providing a distraction. At any rate, many of the vocals are interesting and definitely add to the musical depth of each track. Overall, the deep vocals are remarkably similar to Ersatzmuzika, Diego’s Umbrella, and Gogol Bordello. In the same manner, the instruments and arrangements are akin
to the aforementioned groups, but with a more laid-back, Balkan drawl—if the Balkans were situated in the American Old West in 1890.
Artist: The Sexican
Album: Conscription
Review by Matthew Forss, Inside World Music / Songlines Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)
- Inside World Music (US)

The Sexican’s publicity bio describes the band’s adventurous music as “mariachi-inspired gypsy rock with a twist of protest punk.” Many times, the musical descriptions in publicity bios fail to capture what a band actually sounds like, but that description of The Sexican’s music is not off base: on Conscription, this outfit plays world music-minded alternative rock that draws on Latin music as well as different types of gypsy music. Listening to passionate, gutsy offerings such as “Gringo Vendetta,” “The Earth Is Still Flat,” “The Industry” and “Dreamscape,” one hears the influence of Spanish gypsy flamenco but also hears the influence of gypsy music from Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and other countries in Eastern Europe. But not all of The Sexican’s Eastern European influences are gypsy influences; klezmer, which is Jewish music that started in Eastern Europe, is another influence. And not all of the Hispanic influences on this 2013 release are gypsy flamenco artists from Spain. Conscription also incorporates everything from Afro-Cuban salsa to regional Mexican music. In fact, the album’s dark-humored front cover (which depicts a skeleton wearing a sombrero) draws on the outlaw/badlands imagery that is prominent in some areas of Mexican music (such as the controversial narcocorridos of norteño, banda and duranguense music, for example). Other influences on Conscription range from jazz to ska.
The current lineup of The Sexican (thesexican.net) consists of Mike H on lead vocals and acoustic gypsy guitar, Henrik “Moustache” Bak on electric lead guitar, Soeren “Gimmster” Damgaard on electric bass, Lasse “High” Jakobsen on violin and mandolin, Rasmus Boegelund on trumpet, and Rasmus Sitarz on drums and percussion. There is nothing superficial about the lead vocals of Mike H, who favors a rugged, tough, throaty, raspy vocal style. When Mike is belting out the lyrics on “Darkened Highway,” “Benny’s World of Blood” or “You Sheep Me Never,” he really digs into the material and sings like he means it. Combine those expressive vocals with infectious melodies, quality musicianship from all of the band members and a truly interesting sound, and you have an album that is a creative success on many levels. But as risk-taking as Conscription is, the songs are also quite accessible. “Le Tour,” “A Bible and a Gun” and other tracks on this 10-song album are infectious and easy to absorb.
Most of the tunes are performed in English, but occasionally, The Sexican will incorporate some Spanish-language lyrics. For example, “La Muñeca” (which means “The Doll” in Spanish) is mostly performed en español. And when Mike H does make the occasional detour into Spanish, he has no problem expressing himself in that language. “La Muñeca” has plenty of ska-punk energy, but the song gets a lot of Latin appeal from the trumpet playing and some klezmer appeal from the clarinet playing. On “La Muñeca,” ska, punk, Latin music and klezmer happily interact and work well together.
Among some rock purists, there is a belief that if a recording has too much of a world music factor, it loses or dilutes its rock value. But that is a myth, and a narrow-minded one at that. Having world music appeal does not automatically rule out having rock appeal. And even though Conscription has a wide variety of world music influences and looks to different parts of the world for creative inspiration, it never fails to be relevant to alternative rock. Take the moody “A Bible and a Gun,” for example. On that track, the
trumpet playing strongly suggests Mexican ranchera and mariachi music. Anyone who listens to a lot of rancheras and corridos will notice the Mexican-influenced trumpet playing on “A Bible and a Gun,” but the song rocks nonetheless. Aggressive electric guitar works well with acoustic instruments (including trumpet, mandolin, violin and gypsy or Spanish-style guitar) on this release.
Conscription is a consistently absorbing effort from The Sexican, who are well worth checking out.
The Sexican
Conscription
Review by Alex Henderson, The L.A. Weekly / Billboard 4 stars out of 5 - Billboard / The L.A. Weekly (US)

‘An irresistible groove that will turn a listener’s limbs to rubber. They are doubtlessly a great live band.’ - Songlines Magazine (UK)