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The Smiths are still being celebrated today. On July 2, Combo Cósmico released “¿Que Tan Pronto es Ahora?,” the band’s reimagined cumbia version of the English rock band’s “How Soon Is Now?” The result? A space-tinged Spanish-language alternative cumbia track to add to your summer nights playlist. 

“Our inspiration to cover this song is to speak our truth as a collective,” the band exclusively told Remezcla over email. “We are using the song’s already emotional impact and adding our cultural backdrop.” They continued: “The world is in a state of grief and music will always be our warm embrace as humans who need to be loved.”

By adding cumbia percussions and synths to mimic the song’s iconic and distinctive tremolo effect, the San Antonio-based quintet revives the emblematic track and makes it their own. Other elements to make the classic unique include Spanish lyrics, a rhythmic bass, and futuristic space-like synthesizers. Per the song’s description, the translated lyrics [“Soy humano y necesito ser amado…”] “goes beyond being a favorite verse of the brooding class[ic], but shifts meaning with today’s rising anti-immigrant and xenophobic landscape.” The band also says the song “demands that all humans are worthy of love and respect regardless of their differences.” “¿Que Tan Pronto es Ahora?” was released via Puro Unity Records and recorded at Studio E Recording and Bad Hombre Studios.

Previous to this new song, Combo Cósmico eight-track debut album, Cumbia Ovnidera, was released in 2023. The album included songs like “Cholos en Saturno, “Cumbia del Faraón,” and “Muere con calma.” The debut album features psychedelic tinges such as heavy synthesizers, surf guitar leads, and other experimental electronic elements in cumbia-forward songs, which is the innovative sound that the band is known for.

The Smiths’ original “How Soon Is Now?” was released in 1984 as part of their Hatful of Hollow album. It was written by the band’s vocalist Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Since then, the song has been covered by other artists like Love Spit Love and t.A.T.u. Love Spit Love’s cover was featured in The Craft (1996). It also served as the theme song for the television series Charmed for eight seasons.

Listen to Combo Cósmico’s “¿Que Tan Pronto es Ahora?” below.