#234 — C. Tangana — El Madrileño (2021)

You don’t understand, it doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful.

This is another Spanish language album, because it’s from a Spanish artist. C. Tangana is from Madrid, this is his second album and it’s a mix of hip-hop and spanish guitar.

Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash

There’s beauty in not understanding something but finding it beautiful anyway. At recognising that it has value, either as a work of art or as something that is different from yourself that exists in the world, that diversity is wonderful, and magical and that there are many things that may not be for you but are for someone out there.

I’m writing this as the United States screeches through the armco barriers and takes flight over a deep, dark chasm of fascism and horror, with certain rich, thick, fuckwits slamming their foot down on the accelerator as the wheels spin traction-less before gravity brings its fist down on the whole vehicle.

It’s underpinned by a terror of anything that isn’t white, straight, cisgendered and male, and is being implemented by forcing that terror onto anyone who doesn’t fit those criteria — whether they’re trans kids, minorities, government workers in America or people receiving TB and HIV treatment overseas.

Having tried it on with reverse-racism, which doesn’t exist, they’re now attempting to reverse any form of diversity, inclusivity and equality — or anything they perceive as that.

It’s the sort of terror being visited that ends badly, first for their targets and then eventually for those doing the targeting. Italians have ended up upside-down for this, Austrians with a well-ventilated head for this, Italian-Americans have ended up charged of crimes they absolutely didn’t commit for this.

So, anyway this is an album that I don’t comprehend, but I can appreciate how nice it sounds. Just because it’s different and I don’t understand it doesn’t mean I can’t recognise it as something which has value, or worth.

By listening to it, I have a brief view into something else — a different cultural product than the one I’m immersed in. It’s just an album though, and there’s some real need to be able to reach out, form solidarity and have empathy for those who are different from you right now.

C. Tangana — El Madrileño — 2021

Best Track: Nunca Estoy. A slow-burning electronic track which bursts into a beat in the back half.

Underrated Banger: Cuándo Olvidaré. Spanish guitars, slow pace, an interlude with a Spanish Socialist politician talking about how much he loves Spanish music? Yeah sure.

Here’s his NPR Tinydesk performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW6L_lTrIFg