Diffuser had the opportunity to sit down with Bathazar Aguirre, the lead guitarist and founder of BALTHVS, a power trio out of Colombia that blends psychedelic funk with jazz improvisations and world sounds, which is capturing the attention of the jam and festival scene. Their new album “Transmutations” is being released this week, and The Captain and jam influencer, Megan Glionna from the Helping Friendly Podcast, go deep into their influences, their formation, and the vibe that is gaining velocity in real time.
Who is BALTHVS?
The trio, comprised of Balthazar Aguirre (guitar, vocals), Johanna Mercuriana (bass, vocals), and Santiago Lizcano (drums, vocals) was formed in 2020. In just six years, BALTHVS has become Colombia’s leading alternative group, with more than 100 million streams, four albums, countless live shows and tours on multiple continents, and they are just lifting off.
Over the span of six years, they have played more than 26 countries and 94 cities worldwide, appearing at major events including SXSW, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Outside Lands, Electric Forest, to name a few, and BALTHVS has also made notable appearances on KEXP and the BBC.
A Closer Look at the New Album
“Transmutations” has an official release date of March 20th, and is a unique mix of live and studio work, leaning into their unique and contagious vibe. As Bathazar shares in the interview, the album is a look into what the live show experience brings. Furthermore, he shares how the band wanted to capture the “magic” of one of his major influences, The Grateful Dead, and their live show experience, with studio-quality sound.
The album features the nine tracks below:
- Ojos Verdes (Alchemized)
- LSD in Bahia
- Mood Swings (Alchemized)
- Flesh and Soul (Alchemized)
- Outer Reaches
- Shakedown Street
- Inner Heights
- Johanna’s Dream (Alchemized)
“Transmutations” can be pre-saved on streaming and vinyl can be pre-ordered here.
What’s Next for BALTHVS?
BALTHVS just wrapped up their performance on the Jam Cruise, where their performance was highly regarded by the jam enthusiasts, and featured the bass player, Sarah Elaz, a rising star from Brooklyn.
BALTHVS will be hitting the festival scene hard, starting in June, where they will play All Good Now, Sawtooth Valley Gathering, and Zootown Music Festival. As Balthazar discussed in the interview, he is stoked to play in states and venues new to the band, such as Missoula, Montana. All tour dates can be found here.
This is an electric vibe to catch.
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Contributions by Chuck Armstrong (CA), Jordan Blum (JB), Rob Carroll (RC), Chad Childers (CC), Joe DiVita (JD), John Hill (JH) and Lauryn Schaffner (LS).
Gallery Credit: Loudwire Staff
