Brian Cid Ladobé: New Latin Project for EG Podcast

Estimated reading time: 2 min

Brian Cid launches Latin roots project Ladobé

Brian Cid has launched Ladobé, a project he describes as "not a side project" but rather "a release of something that has been waiting its moment." The debut arrived via EG Podcast episode 1052, a New Year's special recorded live in Panamá City during December 2025 and published December 29, 2025. The set draws explicitly on Cid's Dominican heritage, building around hand percussion, Latin American rhythms, and what he calls grooves "for celebration rather than analysis."

The first-half recording prioritizes communal energy over studio precision—voices layer into organic textures designed to move bodies rather than invite headphone dissection. (Original source) Cid frames the project as "bringing new colors to my roots and letting that energy travel," positioning Ladobé as a roots-forward statement within the broader turn toward Afro-diasporic and Latin rhythms in melodic house. The mix is available on SoundCloud and Mixcloud.

Live Panamá recording emphasizes hand percussion

The Panamá City session foregrounds live-captured hand percussion over programmed loops, tracing rhythmic patterns rooted in merengue, bachata, and broader Caribbean dance traditions. Voices thread through the mix as textural counterpoint rather than lead elements, while the pulse remains steady enough for extended club runs. Cid describes the aesthetic as "rooted yet open, familiar yet ready to roam," signaling an approach that honors lineage without museum reverence.

The mix prioritizes energy transfer across the floor—Ladobé aims to make people move and smile, channeling communal release over headphone scrutiny. By recording the debut set live rather than assembling it in post, the project accepts imperfection as proof of presence, a calculated risk for an artist known for studio precision.

Debut reframes catalog ahead of organic trend

Cid's decision to frame Ladobé as "not a side project" repositions his catalog around Latin and Caribbean heritage rather than treating those influences as occasional diversions. The timing—debuting on a high-visibility NYE platform—signals intent to lead with this identity as organic and Afro-diasporic rhythms gain commercial traction across melodic house. By choosing a live recording in Panama City over studio polish, Cid accepts the risk that imperfection reads as compromise to listeners conditioned by his earlier precision. The gamble is whether dancefloors will follow an artist rewriting his own stylistic center of gravity, or whether the shift arrives too late to claim space already occupied by producers who never straddled the line between melodic techno and roots-driven percussion.

Sources

• Original source
• Brian Cid presents: Ladobé - SoundCloud (2025-12-30)
• EG.1052 Brian Cid presents: Ladobé (NYE Special) (2025-12-30)

How we reported this

We reviewed the original coverage from EGNews and cross-checked key details against the sources above. If something is unclear or changes after publication, we’ll update this post.

About the author

Tom Rander — is a journalist and electronic music specialist who has spent years documenting the intersection of club culture and technical innovation. With a background rooted in both the booth and the press room, Tom founded Rander.io to provide a more rigorous, expertise-driven alternative to mainstream music blogs.