Los de Abajo came together in 1992. They initially had a Latin-ska sound in mind, but as their ranks expanded, they soon began hosting high-energy gigs at various ersatz clubs and spaces in Mexico City’s largely improvised rock scene.

They take their name from a classic novel about the Mexican Revolution, and they fervently believe that change comes from below. "Of course, the ideas had an influence on the music," says Yocu. "This became the most punk and radical thing: combining our sentiments with the strength and heat of Afro-Latin rhythms."

They are an exciting combination of rock energy, salsa, reggae and cumbia. Los de Abajo endeavor to present Mexico in its crazy-quilt glory. "We’re not a mosaic, but a kaleidescope of Mexican life."