Los Angeles, Oct 20 (EFE).- Calle 13’s Visitante is set to release his new album “Trending Tropics,” which takes aim at modern technology and the way it isolates people.
“I am very dependent and addicted to it (technology). Everything can be resolved with a phone. We are hyperconnected but, at the same time, we are disconnected at the human level,” the Puerto Rican musician said during a telephone interview.
“My birthday was a month ago and I found it very strange that almost everyone sent me a birthday greetings by text message. I felt the difference compared to last year. I was delighted when someone called me directly over the phone,” he said.
Eduardo Cabra – the artist’s real name – joined forces with Dominican musician Vicente Garcia to produce the album, which combines the essence of Afro-Caribbean music with electronic beats.
The album’s songs, which are in Spanish and at times in English, include contributions from invited artists such as iLe (the sister of Calle 13’s Visitante and Residente), Spanish musicians Pucho and Guillermo Galvan (from the rock band Vetusta Morla), Chilean singer Ana Tijoux, Colombia’s Li Saumet (the lead singer of Bomba Estereo), and Jamaica’s Ziggy Marley (the son of reggae legend Bob Marley)
In order to give a coherence to the difference voices and personalities included in “Trending Tropics,” Visitante and Garcia chose a theme that would act as a common thread: the influence of technology on our daily lives.
As opposed to the digital utopia promised by Silicon Valley, “Trending Tropics” addresses internet dependence, addiction to electronic devices, the uncertain future in the digital age, and the paradox of isolation in a world that is so interconnected.
“Trending Tropics” will be presented live from Barcelona on Monday, with subsequent shows in Madrid, on Wednesday, and in Bilbao, on Thursday.