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On February 13, 2026, Los Angeles trailblazers Mariachi El Bronx will release their first album in over a decade, Mariachi El Bronx IV, via ATO. The LP finds the mariachi alter ego of punk rock stalwarts The Bronx continuing to embody the boundary-pushing spirit that sparked their creation as they honour the rich Hispanic music and culture woven into the fabric of Los Angeles. Across the LP’s 12 tracks, the band chronicles gamblers, former playboys, warriors, and lovers – characters that channel the specific weight of being alive right now. Mariachi El Bronx offer another glimpse of their forthcoming album by way of new single ‘RIP Romeo.’ The track features Ray Suen on violin (Childish Gambino, Lorde), who had a hand in writing it as well. Lead vocalist Matt Caughthran says, “‘RIP Romeo’ started with a melody that wouldn’t leave my head. I brought it to Ray and we knocked out a demo in an hour. We hadn’t written together in years, but we fell right back into rhythm. It came alive when the rest of the band got their hands on it. It’s a pretty direct song on the surface, but there’s a lot going on underneath. I’ve wanted to write about Romeo for years, but only if it came from a genuine place – not something forced or cliché. This one finally felt true, so I leaned in. The deeper layer revealed itself when I couldn’t finish the lyrics. I had most of it written, but key lines were missing. I couldn’t focus – my aunt had recently passed away from cancer, and my family was grieving. That experience ended up shaping the song in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The lines ‘How could this happen to you, it’s cruel and it’s tragic’ and ‘Amor es muerte (love is death)’ are about her – they completed the song for me.” |
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