Cuco hits cruise control on Ridin’, where the Chicano psych-pop artist revs up heartbreak, soul, and lowrider vibes on his most ambitious and reflective album yet.
Cuco is in the driver’s seat of his emotions on Ridin’, a romantic and dreamy ride through everything that makes the heart ache while West Coast cruising. The 25-year-old singer-producer delivers a love letter to Los Angeles, to classic soul, and to the twisting, nonlinear path of coming-of-age. Produced by Tom Brenneck (Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars), the album sees Cuco elevate his sound into something more organic and intimate. Brenneck, best known for his guitar work with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Menahan Street Band, helps put some polish on Cuco’s hazy blend of psychedelia, R&B, and Latin influence with velvet-smooth horns and a deep reverence for AM radio textures. Cuco responds with a vocal lift, singing much of the album in a rich neo-falsetto that's hard to believe anyone could achieve.
“This record is about movement,” Cuco explains. “Everyone listens to music when they’re driving - whether you're happy, sad, or somewhere in between. Ridin’ is about going through life’s curves with love riding shotgun.”
Songs like “Para Ti” cut straight to the bone, with Cuco singing entirely in Spanish, his voice aching over gentle grooves. The track glows with the influence of his Chicano upbringing, leaning into regional soul traditions with a modern twist. “Phases” shifts gears entirely, offering a danceable touch as Cuco croons about a breakup with the line “a tenant in my heart.” It’s a shimmering highlight, born from spontaneity. “There wasn’t a direct inspiration,” Cuco says. “We just wanted to capture a shift in energy - something that naturally makes you move.”
Elsewhere, “My 45” featuring Jean Carter fuses sweet heartbreak with soul throwback swagger, reflecting the vintage heart that beats at the center of Ridin’. It’s an album that celebrates classic sounds while riding full throttle down the road ahead - part lowrider cruise, part late-night diary entry. With Ridin’, Cuco doesn’t just expand his sound, he expands his soul. This is a record about trying to move forward as a special kind of love lingers in the rearview mirror.