GENRE; Indie Folk/ Latin/ Latin Pop/ Folk Pop/ Folk
RELEASE DATE; 18 September, 2026
RATING; 4/5
The second chapter of Baldy Crawlers’ forthcoming album Fais Toi Plaisir, ‘Waterfall Laughter {La Tierra Ríe en Cascadas}’, continues the narrative from the restrained protest of ‘Hatred?’ by turning it into a bilingual love song dedicated to the earth. The song starts with a loose Latin folk rhythm and then gradually develops into one suitable for a dance floor, thus giving it a natural sense of movement. It is sung in English before moving over into Spanish, and this bilingual format appears to be a natural part of the song’s progression rather than being included merely for impact.
The imagery in the song gives it a poetic touch in relation to the earth; references to walking along firefly paths and going to a place where neither time nor either of our own times applies produce a feeling of freedom and of shared existence. The main idea is particularly evident in the line “she makes me better than I am”, since the song can thus at the same time be seen as a love song and as a way of showing appreciation for the ground under everyone’s feet. The message stays gentle as the arrangement slowly develops into something more celebratory.
The recording includes a special collection of musicians, featuring piano played by Jonathan Montes, who attended the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico and has previously performed with Cheo Feliciano and Gilberto Santa Rosa, together with Marc Weller on pedal steel and Ross Schodek on bass. The guitars used on the record were made by the songwriter Martin Maudal, thus adding another personal touch to a project that is based on handmade instruments and collaborative performances. These various contributions are what give the song its folk, Latin and roots-oriented style.
Since it is the pivotal track on Fais Toi Plaisir, “Waterfall Laughter” holds a significant position within the album’s three-part structure. The record progresses from “Hatred?” to this bilingual celebration before ending with “Orbelín and the Black Widow”, a Spanglish Latin folk tale and salsa dance tune. “Waterfall Laughter” thus appears to be a purposeful turning point, altering the course of the story while at the same time retaining its link to the earth, movement, and the human experience. It is a thoughtful and welcoming section in the narrative that Baldy Crawlers is building up for their album.
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