Residente (album)

A few years before the album's release, Residente took a DNA test that revealed his roots trace back to 10 different locations around the world, including Armenia, Ghana, China, and his homeland, Puerto Rico. Such diversity inspired him to produce what would later result in a solo album, a documentary and a book released via Fusion Media Group (Univision Communications) under the same common title Residente.[7][8] He signed a five-year production deal with the label.[8]

The album was written and recorded over the course of two years and saw Residente travel around the world to the places where his roots are, including Siberia, Moscow, China, the Caucasus, France, Spain, England, Armenia, Ossetia in Georgia, Antigua, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Niger, aside from Puerto Rico.[7][8][5]

In all these places, he worked with local, mostly amateur or unknown artists, some of whom were poor or affected by war. Despite this, Residente rejects the idea of it being a world music album because he "wanted to do something new".[1][7] All of the artists would be paid for their royalties. He also said:[8]

I collaborated with talented artists, artists that the musical industry doesn't know of because they don't pay attention to them, artists that make music without expecting something in return, artists whom I share DNA with, just how they shared their stories with me.

About the album's general sound, he said, "at a sound level it is not the most organic [album he's ever made], but the most real and precise. All sounds are from those countries, the drums, the voices, anything that sounds comes from that place."[9]

Parts of the pre and post-production of the album were done at Loisaida Center in New York City. Residente also worked at Electric Lady Studios in West Village.[7][8]

The album deals with themes such as equality and unity. Though Residente's initial approach to his trips were mainly musical, he was inspired by his conversations to focus on the subject of race. Despite being produced much before Donald Trump won the 2016 United States presidential elections, Residente admits its themes could relate to the scenario of the time of its release: "I think that... the topic now is even more relevant because of what is happening with Trump and not only Trump, because there's a lot of racism around the world. [...] We all came from the same place, even though we are different, we are equally different".[1]

Residente intends to release an English language version of the album and has already translated all lyrics with the help of Puerto Rican poet Urayoán Noel, associate professor at New York University. The effort will be put out depending on Residente's satisfaction with it.[8][9]

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Residente's distant cousin, guest performs on the album's opening track "Intro ADN/DNA"[8] and narrates how both discovered their relationship.[7] The second track and first single, "Somos Anormales", was recorded in Kyzyl, Tuva, after a one-week stay.[10] Kyzyl was Residente's first stop in his trip around the world, and 6% of his DNA come from there.[9] The song has guest performances of Chirgilchin and received a video shot in Spain[10] featuring John Leguizamo,[7] Leonor Watling, Óscar Jaenada and Juan Diego Botto.[3]

The romantic song "Desencuentro" features French indie pop singer SoKo,[7][8] and talks about two people perfect for each other but at the same time a mismatch.[4] About including it on the album, Residente said: "Everything that's in my albums are things that surround me, and this [love] also surrounds me".[11] The song received a video shot at the Crémerie-Restaurant Polidor and featuring Charlotte Le Bon and Édgar Ramírez.[11]

While recording parts for the track "Guerra" at Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan military forces bombed the region, forcing the musicians to seek a safer location for recording at a church in Ossetia. About the experience, Residente said:[7]

It was tough to meet with the refugees of war and talk to them. And because I had to communicate with a lot of people that speak only one language, it took me a while. Of course music is our universal language, but after these travels, I have a respect for linguistics that I've never had before.

The final version of the song includes drums performed by South Ossetian children, combined with a Georgian bandura and a Chechen choir.[8]

In China, from where 6% of his DNA comes,[9] he worked with a group of Peking opera. About the experience, he says:[1]

[...] first of all, it was very difficult to communicate because they couldn't speak English and at that time my English sucked, and my translator, his English was OK, but he wasn't like (an) English professor, so it took us awhile to get there and to translate first the lyrics... from Spanish to English, and then from English to Chinese.

He mixed their voices with two organs, one from Temple Church in London and another from Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona. The resulting work became the song "Apocalíptico",[9] inspired by Beijing's "choking pollution and the juxtaposition of modern buildings and a crumbling past".[8]

In Africa, responsible for 10% of his DNA, he went to Burkina Faso, where he drew inspiration from Thomas Sankara to create "La Sombra",[9] which features Niger-born Tuareg guitarist Bombino.[7][8] "Milo" was inspired by a dream Residente had and it was named and written after his son. The song was conceived in Ghana.[9]

The dystopian-like[7] song "El Futuro Es Nuestro" projects a future in which people eat cockroaches and the Moon is no more since terrorists blew it up. It features Goran Bregović and his brass band.[8] "Dagombas en Tamale" features Dagomba tribal singers from Ghana and "celebrates the spirit of the penniless".[8] The closing track "Hijos del Cañaveral", written in Puerto Rico, features vocals by his sister ILE.[9]

A self-titled documentary directed by Residente himself was produced simultaneously with the album. It debuted on March 16[12] at South by Southwest and depicts his childhood, his struggle with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,[5] his times as a young artist, his rise with Calle 13 and why he decided to leave it and pursue a solo career.[1][7] It received a favorable review by Michael Rechtshaffen from The Hollywood Reporter.[13] In the week of its premiere, Residente and his solo band performed at the Latino Resist Concert at Lady Bird Lake.[14]

• Official website