El Balcón is a Montreal-based collective that blends traditional folk music from around the world with original compositions. The six-member group arranges and writes music collaboratively, drawing from diverse influences while maintaining an acoustic sound rooted in tradition. Their instrumentation combines Mexican folk elements such as the jarana, requinto, and tarima with microtonal melodies played on the violin and oud. The group’s rhythm section features upright bass and a variety of percussion instruments, including cajón, riqq, pandero, and the quijada del burro (donkey jawbone). Over time, El Balcón has evolved from interpreting traditional tunes to crafting innovative, danceable music that maintains a deep connection to its folk roots.
Featured Song:
Their track “Granito de arena” (Grain of Sand) blends traditional Mexican folk elements with a melancholic but passionate acoustic sound. “If from the sea you wanted to take a grain of sand / You would have to choose the one that soothes your pain the most / From your very fingers, I fall, to return / From where I had traveled, old paths, to the depths of the sea / In the whirlpools of your thoughts, you will always carry me.”
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