After spending time abroad, there’s often a newfound appreciation for the familiarity that comes from being at home. Between family, loved ones, and safety to be your unguarded self, a place to call home is the crux of personal identity. Having spent 2026 touring extensively across North America, Europe, and Latin America, Midnight Generation’s affinity for their residence in Mexico has only grown stronger. Navigating between full-time musical careers and a turbulent state of the world, the five-piece band felt prompted to pare back and pull from where they came from. ROOTED, their album bringing a homespun twist to their disco-funk meets synth-pop sound, is the result.
The five-piece of Fernando Mares, Carlos “Charlie” Amaya, Luis Carlos “Bica” Valderrama, Samuel Márquez, and Diego Bustillos have over a decades-worth of work under their belt. Experimenting with 80s-electronica influences has spanned across their discography since their atmospheric debut LP, Odyssey. 2023’s Afterlife followed with beaming, high-energy synths, before teasing 70s-groove elements in Tender Love. All in all, the three LP’s laid down a foundation for the emotionally-grounded, retro-futurism of ROOTED.
Throughout their long-haul trajectory, new album-making processes continue to show themselves in their work. ROOTED allowed the group to experiment in production on the road for the first time. “It was also really cool to explore sounds and create music while touring; trying to find different resources along the way. Whatever we felt in the moment, we could start making something about that because we were together all the time,” recounts Mares.
Finding a sense of home in one another while on tour ultimately shaped the album’s concept, inspiring the band to reconnect with their Mexican roots and share that part of their identity with the world. “It made sense because we had to show the world who we are in a way that they could understand it. I think sometimes people don’t expect to hear this genre of music from a Mexican,” Mares discerns. ROOTED brings a piece of their home-base and upbringing to a global-scale, introducing a fresh approach to electronic, funk, and disco for diverse sets of North American and European audiences.
In some cases, losing sight of who you are can be a consequence of getting swept up in such a dynamic lifestyle. Midnight Generation, however, takes it as an opportunity to reground themselves whenever they start to stray too far. “Reconnect with your parents, your siblings, or your close friends that you grew up with. I used to look at pictures of my dog when I’d miss him, it made me feel at home for five minutes. Those connections that you make while you grow up are your anchors, and asking “Who am I, what’s important to me, and who is important to me?” explains Amaya.
“Life hits you with responsibilities and so many things that change your way of being.” Maro chimes in. “You are the way you approach things, but you have to try to be connected with who you are and how you express that to the world.” Above all, it’s humility and gratitude that maintain their ties to their homes, as well as to each other. Those unspoken, shared values allow the community found within a band to flourish beyond its members and into their listeners.
Midnight Generation now find themselves enjoying time off from touring to close out the remainder of 2026. With a mutual understanding from each member to collectively “steer the boat,” as Amaya puts it, they’re hungry to continue their hard work. 2027 introduces a new set of international tour dates, with excitement to share more of themselves with the world. At the end of the day, you can sit down and say, “This was worth it.” It’s better when you do so many things [while you’re capable] than when you don’t do it and you could regret it in the future,” Mares concludes, with pure satisfaction in himself and his band members.
Izzy Petraglia is a publicist, writer and photographer based in Toronto. Within her work, she loves to tie in her passion for music, fashion, and pop culture. Follow her on Instagram.