Review: La Mariposa by Tango Berretin

La Mariposa by Tango Berretín came out in February 2025 and stayed in my inbox for almost a year.

Well, I'm lying: I had it in my inbox then starred it & pushed it out for later.

2025 was not a year of tango for me and I'm glad it's behind me.

And listening to it, I felt like I'd never left.

La Mariposa is what Sexteto DiSarli would sound like if they recorded today. Unsure if that was the point but it may have been: the arrangements come very close. Except for one original vals, the album sends you back in time a hundred years and lets you eavesdrop on the roots of tango on the cusp of its Golden Age.

The music in detail

La Mariposa opens with a long-ish intro and carries itself reluctantly in a manner that suggests it's not meant for dancing. It does not set the tone of the album, however, or rather, it sets the tone but not the rhythm. And that's good since we need music for our feet not just hearts and ears.

The vals La Era de la Soledad is most likely an original composition as there's no mention of it on tango.info. Singer Megan Vorster appears and guides us through the piece gently. She's been with the band for a long time and gives the album distinctly warm, almost cuddly vibes. The vals is somewhat on the slower side, a few BPMs below the optimum range, and suggests that you move through the ronda comfortably rather than briskly.

Maldita is where the influence of Sexteto DiSarli becomes palpable and stays with us for the rest of the album. See for instance this TangoTunes compilation for a direct comparison of the following 4 tunes. The sound is cutesy, measured, sweet and sharp, much like the Sexteto. There are multiple ways to mix and match these four to get a solid tanda and each would make a good choice for a cozy afternoon milonga.

This is how I would compose it:

Flora - the key is C minor/major, BPM about 64. Good enough to get some attention. Does not tower above the rest; in fact, the first three are largely interchangeable in both musical and danceability terms.

Maldita could arguably be a stronger opener (by a hair or two) but placing it here lets me form a more satisfying harmonic progression. The key is G minor/major, 63 BPM.

Chau Pinela would follow next, would have to come next as the key is D minor/major (see what I did here?). 63 BPM again, so a perfect follow-up.

Cicatrices dips almost imperceptibly to 62 BPM and makes for a very satisfying closer. The key is B minor/major, and this harmonic progression is also my favorite (nerd alert: it would work even better if the previous song ended in D major since then we have a direct "relative key" relationship).

Next, we have two milongas! Silueta porteña is lovely as always, although you could question why it needed to be on the album. The arrangement is exactly what you'd expect it to be, save for a few fun piano riffs. The tune has been recorded and covered extensively. So why again? I would argue that Megan Vorster is what gives it the special flavor and reason to exist. One could conceivably form a tanda adding El llorón + Zorzal or Shoes from the previous releases that also feature this singer.

El llorón as a composition is not on the same level of genius as the Silueta; the arrangement makes it shine, however. Megan Vorster enters much earlier and steals the show while being perfectly on time & still blending with the band. Loved it.

To my knowledge, Sexteto DiSarli has recorded neither Gallo Ciego nor Tigre Viejo so we're officially out of "cover" territory.

Gallo Ciego is what you would do if you wanted to be the opposite of Tango Bardo. Where the Argentinians turn up the volume to 11, Berretín only hints, suggests, and keeps you guessing. As a musical joke, it made me chuckle; give it a listen and you'll know instantly what I mean. Would I play it for dancers? Perhaps. If there was room for a musical joke.

In Tigre Viejo, the band gets serious again, and we get a decent closer that does not break any new ground. The arrangement is probably Fresedo-forward. If you've read a few of my opinion-laden reviews, you'll know I bear a special grudge against Fresedo. Thankfully, the influence is mostly about the arrangement here and not so much the sound. Still, though, here's where I like what Tango Bardo does to the source material more. More punch, more oomph. But then, that would no longer be Tango Berretín. I guess this is one of those times when a band "spoils" a song for you for a very long time 🤷‍♂️.

In summary

La Mariposa is a sweet and comfort-inducing album. It's pleasant to listen to and is for the most part intended for consumption on the dance floor.

It makes for an important addition to the growing discography of Tango Berretín since each new release makes composing coherent tandas easier. That's especially true for valses and milongas that are typically under-represented on albums.

Now go and give it a listen - and for more from this band, check out my review of Tangos del Berretin.