With some modifications, brothers Ignacio and Luciano Brasolin have discovered a secret hidden in classical video game consoles like the Comodore 64s, Gameboys, and Ataris. The Argentinean duo, known as Super Gauchin, has redefined the purpose of a console from just playing games to making music that people can actually dance to. The brothers mix game music with electronic and Latin beats that transport dancers into a futuristic world where games and reality blur.

Super Gauchin’s album cover for their latest EP Piratas y Fichines, reveals a little bit of what they’re all about, but only their “La Gorra” music video can show the combined power of video games and music. The video, off their recent EP released by Waxplotation and ZZK, takes place in a futuristic pixilated video game styled Argentina where Super Gauchin fights off zombie armies with their game consoles.

Watch the “La Gorra” music video below:

The Alianza Cultural Latinoamericana is a community of artists and art lovers who promote Latin American cultural expressions in Austin. The organization seeks to promote Latin American art forms to the Hispanic community in Austin and to spread this knowledge with new generations through initiatives like Café Con Letras, their monthly showcase that brings different art forms to the Latino community to maintain cultural ties alive, vibrant and constantly evolving. For almost five years, the organization has brought a variety of artists all to share their cultural knowledge and demonstrate the richness found in Latin America.

Today, Café Con Letras will host a special edition showcasing the Argentinean culture. It will include a little bit of poetry, music, folk dancing and of course, what Argentina is most known for: tango. There will also be a surprise guest on this night filled with cultural events unique to the South American country. As usual, as a way to encourage attendees to read in Spanish, there will be a book raffle.

This special homage to the rich Argentinean culture starts from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at Ruta Maya located at 3601 S. Congress Ave. Admission is $5 and free for under 18. Parking is free.

Opening the show is Los Bandidos Cosmicos, a band that has flown under the radar but is steadily looking to perform more shows. Led by the prolific DJ Manny and Claude McCann (Charanga Cakewalk, Afrofreque), it is only natural that their sound is a fusion of electronica, Latin rhythms and hip hop. Their incorporation of Spanish guitar rounds out everything nicely. Listen to one of their tracks here via SoundCloud.

After Los Bandidos Cosmicos, Claude McCann remains on stage to perform with Afrofreque. The Austin based group is another incredible fusion band, bringing together elements of soul, reggae, hip hop, funk and Afrobeat. Their lyrics and message aim to be conscious while creative. Fronted by MC Tigre Liu, Afrofreque has a reputation for being quite the party band.

Headlining the night’s showcase is Master Blaster Sound System. While the group is put together from members who have main gigs with other bands, including frontman Brian Ramos of Charanga Cakewalk, the group’s sound is far from the “side project” label some may give it. Their sound is a electronic based with elements of cumbia, hip hop and traditional Mexican rhythms. Its all danceable either way you describe it. Listen to Master Blaster Sound System’s self-titled EP below.

Hotel Vegas is located at1500 East 6th Street on the east end of the Salinas Building, next to neighboring sister bar The Volstead Lounge. Doors open at 9:00pm. 21+ are welcome. Cover is $6. Visit the official event page on Facebook here and on Do512 here.

This Saturday and next, Conjunto Los Pinkys bring the finest in Austin-flavored rancheras, polkas, boleros and more to the Horse.

Put on your dancing boots and be ready for the vocals, button accordion and bajo quinto of Bradley Jaye Williams, Isidro Samilpa and company to guide your tipsy sways.

If you don’t know about Conjunto Los Pinkys, the group was formed in Austin in 1993, though two of its most prominent members—Isidro Samilpa and Chencho Flores—have roots in Austin’s Tex-Mex music scene dating back to the 1950s and the cantinas of East 6th Street. Don’t miss out on these Latino legends.

The show is free. Must be 21 or older to attend. The music goes from 6 to 8 p.m. The White Horse is located at 500 Comal St.

Watch a video of Conjunto Los Pinkys below.

This month Austin’s longest running dance party happens Friday, February 17, at The Scoot Inn. Peligrosa will be armed with six laptops and who knows how many mics and members of their entourage. Be ready to dance to the best of cumbia, salsa, moombahton,  bachata, 3Ball and more.

The Scoot Inn is located at 1308 Navasota Street. Admission is $5. 21+ are welcome. The party starts at 9:00pm. Visit the official Facebook event page here and on Do512 here.

Listen to a mix from Peligrosa member Manolo Black below.

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If you like Latin electronica and indie dance music from south of the border, then you’ll love the 2012 Neon Desert Music Festival.

Hosted in El Paso, Texas, the festival’s organizers at Splendid Sun Productions have been steadily announcing this year’s Neon Desert lineup over the past 24 hours via the festival’s social media accounts.

And, damn, it’s chock-full of DJ duos, producers and mix maestros. House music and its variations are well-represented.

But we won’t be surprised if more heavy, rock-oriented acts are announced soon. Last year’s festival featured the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group (side project of The Mars Volta’s guitarist) and Los Amigos Invisibles.

Slightly more than half of the festival’s expected 30 bands have been announced so far. We will keep you updated on further Neon Desert announcements as they come.

Neon Desert Fest is scheduled for Saturday, May 26, at Cleveland Square Park in El Paso. You can purchase tickets on the festival’s website here.

Here are the acts that have been announced so far:

• Babasónicos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
• Belanova (Guadalajara, Mexico)
• Chico Mann (Jersey City, New Jersey)
• Classixx (Los Angeles, Calif.)
• Fixed Idea (El Paso)
• Ghostland Observatory (Austin)
• Johnny Costello (El Paso)
• La Vida Boheme (Caracas, Venezuela)
• Los Bunkers (Concepción, Chile)
• Mexican Institute of Sound (Mexico City)
• Mexicans with Guns (San Antonio)
• Moby (New York)
• Sound on Sound (El Paso)
• Sparta (El Paso)
• Sussie 4 (Guadalajara, Mexico)
• The Pinker Tones (Barcelona, Spain)
• The Twelves (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil)
• Toy Selectah (Monterrey, Mexico)
• YACHT (Portland, Oregon)

The fifth annual fashion extravaganza brings the coolest looks from Prototype Vintage Design, Buffalo Exchange and newcomers Charm School Vintage to the runway, with models decked head-to-toe in make-up and hair by Avant Salon and Spa. The Freakout wouldn’t be complete without music, though, and this year we’ll be rocking out to live performances from A Giant Dog, The OBN III’s and The Fleshlights.

Fashion Freakout is truly an event we look forward to all year—an Austinite gem of fashion and fun. This event sells out every year, so make sure to get your tickets before they run out. Purchase advance tickets here and visit the event post on Do512 here. Read our interview with Audrie San Miguel in 2010 here, who together with Jason McNeely, founded the event.

This Saturday and Sunday’s live performances will be recorded live for the group’s live album and video to be released at a later date. Special guests, new songs, old favorites, and other surprises await attendees.

The best part? We have a pair of tickets to giveaway to a couple of our lucky Austin Vida readers, one pair per show.  We will be giving away both pair of tickets this Friday, February 17,  on our Facebook page. To qualify to win, just click LIKE whenever you see the link to this post on our Facebook Wall. Yes, that means you can enter your name more than once. We will draw the winning name on Friday, the day before the show, and notify the winner via Facebook email. Good luck!

Watch Grupo Fantasma perform “Soltero” live below.

The Beauty Ballroom is located at 2015 East Riverside Dr. Advance tickets are available for each show or only $15 for both nights. Doors open at 8:00pm on Saturday and on 6:00pm on Sunday. 18+ are welcome on Saturday and Sunday’s show is all ages. For more information, please visit the Beauty Ballroom website here. Visit the event page on Facebook here and on Do512 here.

A young DJ Juan Data preferred to make mix tapes and rap with his friends than to go outside and play. Later on, his involvement in the underground hip-hop scene in Buenos Aires led him to publish the fist magazine dedicated to the movement, but he was still unable to buy turntables and realize his dream of becoming a DJ. With a move to California and turntables bought, DJ Juan Data was finally born. Along with DJs Dub Snakkr and Diet, the trio created Stronghold Sound. On their first compilation, Audio Refuge, DJ Juan Data was born again as Bondi Blaster, a DJ that mixes all his influences, anything from rap to cumbia to Andean folk and funk.

The luchador masked Bondi Blaster makes his first mark with his upcoming EP, ¡Lo’ Juimo!, out March 6 via Stronghold Sound. The EP includes five tracks as well as other remixes, instrumentals and alternate versions. The album also features Dub Snakkr, Tami, Gabriel Navia, Ephniko, Nes, Michael Parsons and Pablo Freakman.

Listen to“Cumbia Nena” by Bondi Blaster featuring Ephniko & Nes below and download here:

Despite growing up with traditional cumbia and folkloric music, Mati Zundel had to travel outside of Argentina to really appreciate the richness of musical styles his home country offers which range from triunfo, huella to escondido. Now, the musician carefully fuses traditional South American rhythms with electronic beats while respecting the indigenous sounds that permeate his music. With his unique style, National Public Radio Music named him one of their favorite artists of the year and Zundel’s song, “El Alto de la Paz,” made their top 100 songs of 2011.

Zundel really knows how to get someone’s attention. It’s hard not to be infected with the rhythms of his music, but it’s nearly impossible to not watch his recently released “Señor Montecostes” music video. The song is part of his upcoming album, Amazonico Gravitante, out March 27. In the mean time, the music video will suffice. Zundel takes a slaughterhouse to a whole new psychedelic world where cows are made of origami and the worker’s gruesome work can be tolerated after watching him dance.

Watch the “Señor Montecostes” music video below: