In a drop / Nu9ve

The contemporary Cuban song has had to reinvent itself, get out of the mold of the new trova, explore new sound fields, and bet on other formats that wrap its lyrics.

It is difficult for a duo that defends the singer-songwriter song in Cuba to escape the influence of Gema and Pavel, one of the most iconic exponents of the patio, as if the formula: "female voice + male voice + guitar" was a persistent pattern. But I don't want to fall into comparisons that are not relevant, since current duos like Iris and Nu9ve have been able not only to maintain this tradition, but also to elaborate their own discourse. And it is precisely about the recent -and first, in fact- album by the duo Nu9ve, formed by Paloma Carina Henriquez Pinos Santos (vocals) and Carlos Ernesto Varona Velázquez (guitarist and vocals), that I want to talk.

In the music industry, some artists have had the audacity to make albums where the abstract concept unifies each song, so that the common thread is the a leitmotiv -see (hear) El Mal Quererby Rosalía. The album In a drop gives that idea, but not in a concept that encloses all the songs, but in the concept that is developed from the generic.

I came to them through Carlos, in one of the many trova clubs in the capital. If anything characterizes an archetypal "street" troubadour, it is the prevalence of content over form; work first and interpretation later. When I listened to Carlos and Paloma, the first thing that caught my attention was that the work shone, not only for its compositional quality, but for the most important factor, in my opinion, and that could be appreciated with the first chords: there was discipline, there was rehearsal. There were three songs, and I was left wanting more. A few years have passed and they already have their first album, with those songs and others, which complete a journey and an artistic maturity that begins with the right foot.

In a drop contains thirteen tracks, and despite being considered an unlucky number, the dramaturgy of the selection of works for this phonogram seems coherent to me.

The album, released under the Bis Music label, features arrangements by musicians of the stature of Efraín Chibas Wilson (Los Van Van), on the songs My Havana and My Truthand by Yoyi Lagarza (Real Proyect) on the topic Sunrise. The rest of the arrangements are by Carlos himself. One can find in the album a salad of influences: nueva trova, Argentine rock, Puerto Rican reggae, gospel, folk, some funky touches and, of course, Cuban music -guaguancó, son montuno-. Its sonority adheres to pop, with electronic elements, and nevertheless, it strives for the handmade.

Paloma's melodious voice carries the baton while Carlos complements the harmonies in the background; a passive but indispensable role, like an echo that comes and goes from the depths of the stories told. In contrast, the electric guitar performs the solos that break the shyness of Carlos' male half.

Starts with the song She. It is a very sensual reggae, with surreal and emotional images. She You never know to whom or to what exactly it refers, it could be a person, an ode to femininity, or to art itself. The listener decides.

In a dropthe title track of the album, is one of my favorites; a power ballad a very catchy song that talks about forgiveness, reunion and nostalgic happiness. The song describes the word healthy to perfection. In the B part, after the bridge, he modulates the key and reminded me of Michael Bolton, 100 points for that. "I know the distance fits in a drop" goes the chorus, is that an epic line or not? I think so.

Honey and Salt is a track with several influences and I detect its funky rhythmic base pulling towards acid jazz, which turns towards a more beatlerianwith a constant rhythm and the bass marking eighth notes at the same time as the drums. Harmony with two five oneand motifs on the guitar, combining high notes with their lower octaves, as George Benson does.

Chimera is a very rocking love song, and I join it at the imaginary level with Sunrisewhich is pop, with synthesizers, electronic percussion and melody. jazzie. Both are very eighties, and leave a taste of nostalgia -let's see which way things are going to go-.

I stop at My Havana. I have always been prejudiced against songs about cities, and this one adds to the huge list of those dedicated to the Cuban capital but, honestly, it leaves nothing to be desired. It is danceable, the "popular" theme of the album. It speaks of a city with apathy and anguish, but also of colors, of imperfect beauty, of what can be improved. It is a song with a very complex arrangement, ranging from rumba to son montuno. It has a participation of the artist Ronkalunga, who contributes the sonera part with his peculiar voice.

We continue with Anya very funky track with all the irons in the fire. Its synthesizers, the beats constant electronics and all that we can expect. From featuring Jotabarrioz, and his rap combines and adds freshness. It also serves as a curtain separator from one act to another, as it is right in the middle of the album.

To fly is, in my opinion, the most troubadour-like track on the album, and I don't say this because of its clear influence of the nueva trova, but because it (also) recalls English Renaissance music. In particular, John Dowland, cultivator of the ayreas it is called the style that starts with a voice accompanied by an instrument, less contrived, with a rhythmic pattern more marked than the other, to distance itself from the Italian madrigalists. Well... this is to make you understand where he is coming from. To flybut, of course, with a much more contemporary style and instruments such as the keyboard, in addition to the strings.

Neon Lights starts with a halo not to golike a John Houston movie. In a minor key, the lyrics describe a sudden nocturnal encounter. When the song progresses and reaches the chorus, in the story it dawns, in the harmony too, and says: "I wake up in the morning, and you are no longer there" and changes the minor key to its relative major. It sounds bright, as if it had dawned, in a game of contrasts, where the meter of the verses also changes. Another example of how consistent the music is with the story.

Fear -Ironically song number nine, which is the same name as the duo, and probably one of the bravest, goes towards progressive rock with some tinges of programmatic music, but in the background some Japanese taiko drums sneak in, making a bulería beat. Experimental, fresh, and one of those that takes several listens to decipher all it has to offer.

My truth is one of those songs that begins very delicately, accompanied by piano, with a romantic introduction, which then adds a bit of blues, and finally incorporates strings that recall the hand of George Martin in some of the most revolutionary songs of The Beatles. Poetic lyrics, with a ternary rhythm that gives it a waltz-like cadence and a classic style.

Life is a spiralanother pop rock song that covers a recurrent but not exhausted theme. It speaks of the cyclicality of life, of the emotions that come and go. I notice a Gun's and Roses influence on the bridge that gives it a tremendous energy, within the album it is the penultimate track and, precisely, it feels like an almost farewell.

Motive is the closing track of the album, as an epilogue. It seems to be an extension of My truthIt is like first cousins, but adds new timbres, synthesizers and drums that create a climate more focused on the incidental feeling than on the message of the lyrics. It keeps the blues. It is a summary of everything we hear, its message is optimistic. It could be the soundtrack of a Disney animated movie, and I mean that in a good way, not because it is light or naive, but because of the dramaturgical intention, like a coffee after dessert.

The duo Nu9ve has achieved an ideal album for sensitive ears, which invites you to let yourself go. To me, in particular, Broadway musicals come to mind, due to the peculiar combination of elements and theatricality, which leaves no one indifferent.

It could be the straw that breaks the camel's back of your playlist and, if you're an optimist, you'll see it half full. Enjoy this new album, the duo's debut and entry into a recording career that will give them a lot to talk about in the coming years.