Café Tacvba is a Mexican rock band formed in Ciudad Satélite in 1989 — the same four members for their entire career, and one of the most influential Latin alternative acts of the past several decades. Re (1994) is the landmark; start there, then head to Cuatro Caminos. Dig into Café Tacvba vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Café Tacvba formed in Ciudad Satélite, in the State of Mexico, in 1989. The four members - Rubén Albarrán, Joselo Rangel, Quique Rangel, and Emmanuel Del Real - have remained the band's only lineup across their entire career. The band's name is a reference to the Café de Tacuba restaurant in Mexico City, with the spelling altered to avoid commercial conflict. They are widely regarded as one of the most influential Latin alternative acts of the past several decades, with extensive recognition across Mexico, Latin America, and Spanish-speaking communities globally.
Café Tacvba's sound combines rock, alternative rock, and Latin alternative with extensive influences from Mexican traditional music, ska, electronica, punk, and bolero. Each album typically takes a distinct stylistic approach, with the band exploring widely different musical territories across releases.
Original WEA Latina pressings of Re are widely collected as foundational documents of 1990s Latin alternative. Multiple reissue editions have been released across the catalog.
Listeners new to Café Tacvba typically start with Re (1994) or Cuatro Caminos (2003).
