***KUTX Artist of the Month is Powered by Austin FC***
With musical notes that span well beyond genres like bolero, psychedelic, and cumbia, The Animeros not only get their audience onto the dance floor, but also invite listeners and tastemakers alike into a glimpse of their rich cultural upbringing.
The group—made up of Nick Tozzo (drummer and percussionist), Nicolas Sanchez (bassist), and Mauro Lopez (guitarist)—crafts a genre-blending sound that drifts between the lush jungles of Colombia, the palm-lined streets of 1960s coastal Mexico, and the dusty cantinas of West Texas.
Sanchez’s Colombian roots were shaped by growing up listening to his parents’ beloved salsa and cumbia. Lopez draws from his parents’ Mexican and American record collections, spanning traditional Tejano to improvised jazz. Tozzo’s love for jazz and salsa—sparked during his college years—led him to study and live in Colombia, experiencing musical greats firsthand.
All of this, paired with their undeniable chemistry and infused with the innovative creative sounds of their adopted hometown of Austin, has led them to create the unique sonic movement that is The Animeros—a name inspired by Colombian shamans who would usher lost souls to peace.
Their journey took an unexpected turn when their music reached the ears of Grammy Award–winning producer, songwriter, and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach. Auerbach first heard them by chance, their music floating from an open hotel window and stopping him in his tracks. Captivated, he made a note to track them down, and within a year that chance encounter led to something bigger.
Now signed to Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label, The Animeros are preparing to release their debut album next year, produced exclusively by Auerbach himself.
Not to mention, they made an immediate impression with us after we were turned on to their sound at this year’s ACL festival – making it to several of the KUTX staff’s favorite songs of 2025.
Musicians: Nicolas Sanchez Castro – Bass/Vocals; Mauro Lopez – Guitar/Vocals; Nick Tozzo – Percussion/Vocals; Pablo Ranlett-Lopez – Congas; David Thacker – Keys
Credits: Producer: Deidre Gott; Audio Post Mix: Jake Perlman; Video Edit: Michael Minasi; Audio Engineer: Rene Chavez, Cameras: Michael Minasi, Renee Dominguez, Isak Kopecky
