Six years after releasing their debut album Mexican Dream, alternative rock trio Desierto Drive, continues to push musical expectations, their own and those of longtime listeners who once tied them to their former group.
Their latest single, Baja Religión, recorded in a relaxed, homegrown setting in Monterrey, is as much a product of seasoned musicianship as it is of a blend of bold experimental and melodic rhythms, proving that Desierto Drive has fully stepped into a new era.
DESIERTO DRIVE TALKS ARTISTIC GROWTH, STUDIO EXPERIMENTATION, AND HOW “BAJA RELIGIÓN” MARKS A NEW CHAPTER IN THEIR STORY
More than a departure from the past, Baja Religión is a statement of intent, evidence of how far Rick, Arturo, and Kross have come in redefining themselves, and how much further they’re willing to go. With each release, Desierto Drive continues building a sound that is unmistakably theirs: indie, alternative, and unapologetically free.
YOUR NEW SINGLE “BAJA RELIGIÓN,” WITH LYRICS LIKE “ES TU OBSESIÓN MOSTRAR EMOCIÓN, CON UNA LECCIÓN,” FEELS LIKE A CRITIQUE OF THE “PERFECT LIFE” WE SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. WHAT MOMENT LED YOU TO WRITE THESE LYRICS?
ARTURO: We work in an industry that’s based on perception. What we call “work” is what we’re doing right now—promoting the single—and that’s 80% of the job. People think the work is making music, albums, but most of it is promotion. You see a lot of falsehoods in that. Same thing with social media, it’s a tool for work. We live in Monterrey, in a place called San Pedro, and it’s very image-driven. People say “the only sin is not having money.” There are a lot of moralists, and this single is inspired by the frustration behind all of that.
KROSS: We always try to do different things. We’ve been playing for more than 20 years. The goal has always been to challenge ourselves to do something new. For these songs, we tried the same approach, stepping out of our comfort zone.
RICK: Honestly, ever since we recorded half the album last year—we did eight songs—this was the one that stood out to me while we were writing. The rhythms were things we’d never done before, and the song itself was a really fun challenge to compose.
WAS THERE ANY UNEXPECTED MOMENT IN THE STUDIO, A HAPPY MISTAKE OR IMPROVISATION, THAT ENDED UP IN THE FINAL VERSION OF “BAJA RELIGIÓN”?
ARTURO: We recorded this songs in Kross’ home studio in Monterrey. It’s a really great space, and it was our first time doing that. Being in a house is very different from being in a studio—it gives you more time to stay there, rehearse, compose, even record. These songs are born and finished in the same place, which feels very magical. We also bring in a lot of habits we’ve carried for 20 years. Like on Estrellas, we used amps and Kross started experimenting with the drums—even hitting the microphones—to see what new sounds we could get.
KROSS: Recording was very relaxed—we were at my place, spending hours writing. It felt like rehearsing, just more intentional.
RICK: Those happy mistakes have happened to us a lot in the past. Something we didn’t intend ends up sounding great. In live shows, if a song feels like it drags a little, we’ll speed it up a bit. We have a lot of little tricks like that to deliver the best live performance.
HOW HAVE YOU HANDLED THE EXPECTATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO COME LOOKING FOR “THE SOUND OF YOUR OLD BAND” AND FIND A MORE INDIE, ALTERNATIVE PROJECT?
KROSS: From the very beginning of Desierto Drive, we said we wanted to do something different from PXNDX. Now with this lineup, just the three of us, and Arturo’s voice, it gives a whole new color. It’s inevitable that it still sounds like us, as each of us has our own flavor. The combination of the three makes our sound.
ARTURO: Starting as an independent band, we didn’t owe anything to anyone, so we had that flexibility when creating new songs. Since we had that pause during the pandemic, we were able to see what we really liked from our experiments and refine our identity. To everyone who expects it to be the same as before, we tell them it’s something completely different. It’s more experimental. On the first album, we had songs in English, which we’d never done before, we even included boleros. Some people like it more, some less and that’s out of our control.
QUICK HITS: DISCOVERING DESIERTO DRIVE’S MUSICAL DNA
WHICH OF THE THREE ENJOYS EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW SOUNDS MOST?
ALL: “Arturo”
ARTURO: Yes, me. I still want to compose several songs on piano.
FAVORITE INSTRUMENT AND WHY
KROSS: The drum set I record with is the same one I’ve been using for 18 years. It’s my baby. I love the sound and it feels familiar.
RICK: Same as Kro, my 2002 jazz bass is still my go-to.
ARTURO: Even though I play guitar, my favorite instrument is the bass. When I started recording demos, I realized how important the bass is and how overlooked it often is. A good or bad bass line can make or break a song.
TOP SPOTIFY TRACKS THIS MONTH
ARTURO: My son asks for this one seven times a day. Paul Simon’s You Can Call Me Al. It’s an old one, but I dream about it now. Also Michael McDonald’s I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).
RICK: Lately I’ve been listening to a playlist called Cloud Gazing. It’s instrumental, super calm.
KROSS: I’ve been playing a lot of 70s rock playlists. I love how everything back then was organic—no digital samples, all real instruments. No sound was repeated. I love hearing the riffs, gates, snares.
A MUST-HAVE WHEN PACKING FOR SHOWS
ARTURO: My sleep mask
RICK: Zyn tobacco pouches
KROSS: Something sweet, like chocolates or Skwinkles
DESCRIBE DESIERTO DRIVE’S MUSIC IN ONE WORD
ARTURO: Indie-alternative
RICK: Unconventional—because the chord progressions Arturo writes are always interesting.
KROSS: Freedom—because we allow ourselves to do whatever we want.
NEW MUSIC, NEW ROADS: LOOKING BEYOND “BAJA RELIGIÓN”
Looking ahead, Desierto Drive is already on the road with their “Antes de que salga el sol” Tour, steadily adding new dates as they prepare for an extensive run across Mexico. “Wherever people want us, we’re happy to go,” the band shared.
Fans can catch them live as the tour expands, but in the meantime, their latest singles—Nueva Nostalgia, Secretos, and Baja Religión—are streaming now on Spotify. Don’t miss this bold new chapter from the former PXNDX members, a fresh era defined by experimentation, freedom, and a sound that’s entirely their own.
