Onstage in an old Santa Fe church during their last tour for El Bueno Y El Malo, brothers Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez sat with guitars in hand, their soulful playing weaving through the attentive crowd. It was the third song of their set, and without speaking or signaling, they both began to cry. This moment, vivid and unforgettable, binds them still, though words fail to fully capture the emotion of that night. Estevan recalls the feeling of being a medium in that charged, holy place in the New Mexico desert. Alejandro agrees, describing the overwhelming sense of being a vessel for something greater, a connection that transcended words and reason. This ineffable experience is the essence of Sonido Cósmico, the new Hermanos Gutiérrez album.

The title translates to "cosmic sound," invoking music that feels otherworldly and boundless. Without lyrics, their instrumental pieces invite listeners to imagine freely. Early records from Hermanos Gutiérrez evoked motion, travel, and a poignant melancholy set against desert landscapes and sun-drenched highways. With Sonido Cósmico, Estevan explains, the music aims to transcend the desert entirely. "We’ve started to fly," he says.

Creating the album required new confidence and ambition, seeds planted during the making of El Bueno Y El Malo with legendary producer and guitarist Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. That record was an experiment in expanding their sound while staying true to their roots. Auerbach, whom they call their third brother, introduced new elements like percussion and organ, enhancing their music's richness without compromising its core. Building on this foundation, Sonido Cósmico reaches for the stars.

The title track was a breakthrough that set the tone for the album. "We didn’t want to write El Bueno Y El Malo Volume Two," Estevan states, emphasizing their need for a new direction. While they’ve often drawn from Latin American musical traditions, this album finds inspiration in cumbia and salsa rhythms. From Auerbach, they learned to embrace authenticity and creativity without fear of repetition. "As long as it’s you and you’re authentic, it’s going to be fine," he told them.

Creating a Hermanos Gutiérrez song often begins with one brother discovering something compelling while playing alone. For example, "Los Navegantes," a lyrical piece on the album’s side two, originated one evening when Alejandro was playing at their mother’s home in Switzerland. Feeling unguarded and creative, he stumbled upon a G chord that sparked a new idea. Estevan later added the fingerpicking melody that gives the song its unique glow. The finished track is cinematic and distinctive, yet fits seamlessly within the album.

"Sonido Cósmico," the title track, features propulsive guitar work and subtle strings that lend a grand, orchestral feel. The brothers were inspired by science fiction while writing this album, particularly Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune. Both watched the film on separate flights from Switzerland to California, absorbing its surreal landscapes and epic conflicts. This shared inspiration underscored their deep, often unspoken connection.

"Low Sun," with its intense drumming, signals a departure from their previous work. For the first time, they wrote a song from scratch in the studio, departing from their usual practice of bringing nearly finished material to record.

"Misterio Verde," the haunting final track, was entirely composed in Nashville, its title a nod to the unique green shade of Easy Eye Sound’s décor. This spontaneous creation reflects the trust and familiarity they’ve built with Auerbach, fostered by their ongoing group chat.