“Banda stems from our roots and our ancestors, who were ranch people, country people,” Oswaldo Silvas, one of the singers with Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga, tells Apple Music. “But it continues to evolve throughout the decades, and now it features sophisticated arrangements. We’re proud to extol the essence of our culture. It’s this cosmopolitan elegance that’s turned Banda MS into one of the most successful groups in contemporary música mexicana.” In the 14 tracks of Edición Limitada, the sweetness of clarinets blends with the rollicking energy of trombones and the syncopated groove of the drums. In addition, the lyrics reflect the travails of the human experience with tenderness and a warm sense of humor. “Our style may be sophisticated, but we never lose sight of our roots,” says Silvas. “The heart of banda music is ever present.” “We have perfected a fusion of banda and pop,” adds singer Alan Ramírez. “I think the Banda MS arrangements add a special touch to our sound. It’s ranch music, but more updated than ever before.” Here, Ramírez and Silvas walk us through some key songs from Edición Limitada, one by one. “No Pasa Que Pase” Silvas: “This song embodies the Banda MS style that we’ve known from the very beginning—the band’s essence. It talks about reconciliation between a couple. Sometimes a relationship comes to an end, but the people involved later realize that there was not a specific reason to justify the breakup, since there was love and understanding in that union. Something happened, they decided to spend some time apart, but now they miss each other. It happens often that the man doesn’t patch things up because he’s afraid of what people may say. But now he will—the repenting dog is coming home. It’s time to face the facts: Let everyone know about it, he’s finally back.” “Estás Cancelada” Ramírez: “It’s a song about a young love affair. Sometimes a photo can pop up on social media where you’re giving somebody a kiss, and when your partner finds out, she breaks the circle of love. Suddenly, you find yourself canceled. We thought it was a cool subject matter: ‘Banda MS, you’re canceled.’” “Mesa Para Uno” Ramírez: “It’s by Omar Robles, a composer from Sonora. I can totally relate, because I just lost someone very important to me: my brother. I sang it thinking of him, but other people can identify with the loss of their own special person: a girlfriend, husband, or grandparents. It’s a heart-wrenching tune about stuff that happens in our daily lives, and that we must confront.” “Falta De Sesos” Silvas: “Sometimes a relationship ends because of falta de sesos (lack of brain matter)—we’re just not thinking straight. We don’t value what we have and everything that the other person is giving us; we only come to realize this after we’ve lost it. The relationship sank because we lacked brain matter, and the other person is left suffering. This song is about drowning your sorrows in tequila—the most basic and traditional method available.” “Tu Perfume” Silvas: “I always say that Alan is my favorite singer when it comes to tackling songs such as this one.” Ramírez: “This song has served as the musical backdrop for proposals, and even the couples’ first dance at their wedding. It’s very common to fall in love with the scent of a woman. We meet someone, and we think, ‘Oh, I so wish this woman was my girlfriend,’ or ‘I want her to be the mother of my children.’” “Mamacita” Ramírez: “It’s a sweet huapango by Espinoza Paz. Initially, I didn’t quite get the lyrics [laughs]. ‘Buena como una michelada, como una carne asada con guacamole y salsita.’ (‘She’s as good as a michelada, or a plate of carne asada with guacamole and salsa.’) What’s this? How do I interpret it? It reflects the sensibility of a specific region in Mexico. The michelada is a beer prepared with tomato juice, and carne asada with guacamole and salsa is a traditional dish in the northeast of Mexico. Espinoza gave us a challenge with these lyrics, but they came out great. It took me a while to adapt, but it’s a really beautiful cumbia.” “Edición Limitada” Silvas: “It’s by David Castro, who plays the trumpet and accordion for us, but is also a singer. We tend to sing to women in general, but we rarely dedicate songs to our wives. A husband knows that his wife is a ‘limited edition’ person. That’s what you feel when you walk together holding hands, attend a dinner or party, and also in the more intimate moments.” “Pasa Tips” Ramírez: “Our arranger, Pavel Ocampo, is a jazz person. He’s played since he was very young, and he employs everything that he learned from jazz on the Banda MS orchestrations. He has a different touch. Pavel does the arrangements with Sergio Lizárraga. Sergio has tons of ideas, and Pavel is the one who deciphers those concepts and then transcribes them. Sergio is from a musical town; he carries banda music in the blood. They make a great team together, and the results are evident on albums such as this one.”