By José Gandue @Gandour
Within the anticipated and desired renewal that Argentine pop rock is experiencing, one of the most promising bands is 1915. Hailing from the northern suburbs of Greater Buenos Aires, this quartet has been steadily gaining exposure, and their second album, Flag, Published just a few months ago, it has registered remarkable numbers on digital platforms. Their popularity has allowed them to be featured guests at renowned festivals and they have been included in the lineup of the upcoming Lollapalooza Argentina, to be held at the end of March.
1915 stands out not only for its fine compositional construction full of details that invite natural dancing and the enjoyment of instrumental textures crafted with remarkable sensitivity, but also for its lyrics. His lyrics have clear moments of denunciation about the social and economic situation in his country, something we haven't seen too often in songs of his style made by other artists. Amidst the denunciation, the music continues to invite us to dance, and that, too, is striking. However, contrary to what some wary and conservative listener might suspect, That doesn't detract from, and on the contrary, adds a good difference to, the final result.
Before starting his new tour of the interior of his country, we managed to contact Cruz Hunkeler, vocalist and guitarist of the band, so that he can answer us and enlighten us on more details about this group that we strongly recommend you listen to again and again on your stereo:
How would you describe 1915 to those unfamiliar with the project?
We are a rock band from Buenos Aires, Argentina. We make music that seeks depth, transcendence, and delivers a clear and concise message that is committed to reality.
Following that line of thought, what do you call "reality"?
Political reality, emotional reality, spiritual reality. Ours and everyone's.
I must point out that it's not easy to see bands that, having the sound you develop, have lyrics with that content.
It's a weird mix (laughs) but we're developing it.
Excuse me for playing devil's advocate, but wouldn't it be easier to do what other pop-rock bands do and focus on more "intimate" and perhaps more superficial topics?
I don't think so. I find it much easier to find inspiration by focusing on topics that go a little deeper. And it's easy because that inspiration comes on its own, and my only job is to use the tools I have to interpret that information, those melodies, chords, and words that come to me spontaneously.
Well, using recordings of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in a song perfectly suited for a dance environment is not common.
(Laughter) We use it because it perfectly describes, and I don't know if even better than, what the lyrics say. And it's striking.
Let's talk about the sound. There are noticeable changes between their first album, Dual, and his latest album, Flag. How would you describe that evolution?
Dual It's a much more progressive album, in which we included a lot of information, many changes, many moods and chords; the lyrics are more abstract or more metaphorical. Flag What we wanted was to make good songs. We learned to structure ourselves in that way to achieve more organized and cohesive tracks. We realized the importance of conveying a message. It's a more down-to-earth album that speaks more from lived experience and is more engaged with the reality I mentioned earlier. Musically, we were more influenced by pop; the revival of 80s retro sounds is undeniable and influences bands worldwide, and obviously it reached us this time too, but I think we adapted it to our own style.
What musical influences do you recognize at this time?
A lot of Argentine rock. Charly García, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Fito Páez, Gustavo Cerati are like saints to us. But we also listen very carefully to what's happening today, both nationally and internationally. There are two foreign bands that greatly influenced our second album: Parcels and Roosevelt. Finally, we're also influenced by the excellent music scene in Argentina. The number of high-caliber bands is something to be proud of. Usted Señalemelo, Bandalos Chinos, Marilina Bertoldi—and I could go on and on.
That's what I was going to say, the Argentinian music scene is enjoying an interesting renewal. What do you think is behind this phenomenon?
Argentina has always had incredible artists. I think the scene is better than ever because those stupid rivalries, like between people who liked Soda Stereo and people who liked Los Redondos, no longer exist. Nor is it necessary to be confined to specific genres anymore. Now, thanks to technology, music and people mix with complete freedom, and that opens up and provides endless possibilities. Also, thanks to the internet, uploading an album has become more accessible. So, many more bands are gaining visibility.
I think these are also moments. There are decades of inspiration and others of drought. I think that politically and in the general mood, intense things are happening every day. And that affects the artist and brings many topics to address, or at least strong emotions from which to experience catharsis. Whether it's because they are an artist or simply because they are a person living in a rapidly changing world.
What is your relationship with dance? With your music, what kind of experience would you like to create in that regard?
I love it when people dance at our shows. I don't think that people dancing interferes with the depth of our music or our lyrics. I'm referring to what you were saying about the sound of mothers during a dance song.
The connection with the body through music is something I don't think is trivial, and in any case, we shouldn't forget that music is also entertainment and is also for having fun.
What are the short and medium-term plans for 1915?
The idea is to continue presenting Flag Full steam ahead. This year we're leaving Buenos Aires for the first time as a band. We have shows in San Juan, Mendoza, and Córdoba in March, and we're finishing the month playing at Lollapalooza. Later in the year, there are also possible tours abroad. We're going to keep making the most of this album, which has a lot of life left in it, with plenty of new material coming soon, alternate versions of the songs, a music video, etc. Everything is still in the works.
