Daniel Villarreal, a Panamá-born, Chicago-based drummer known for his work with Dos Santos, Wild Belle and others, steps forward with Panamá 77, his debut as a lead artist.

Drawing on a wide circle of collaborators — including Bardo Martinez, Jeff Parker, Marta Sofia Honer, Anna Butterss and Aquiles Navarro — Villarreal shapes a fluid set of instrumental pieces that move between psychedelic textures, folk rhythms and funk-driven grooves.

The result is a warm, layered record built on interplay and subtle shifts in tone, where each contributor adds colour without disrupting the overall flow. It’s a collaborative work that foregrounds Villarreal’s instinct for rhythm and arrangement, bringing together a range of voices into a cohesive, easy-moving whole.