By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone
Cover art by Zonagirante Studio
Additional photos from the Cienfue archive.
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Welcome to Behind the noise, a new section of Zonagirante.com where we take a break between releases, playlists and reviews to listen to the artists in a different tone. We propose a short questionnaire with essential questions —musical, personal, spiritual, even uncomfortable— to find out what lies behind the music: influences, obsessions, heroes, worldviews.
In other words, We seek to portray the artist beyond the stage or the song.
We don't ask for promotional phrases or long answers here. Rather, We believe in small truths that, when put together, reveal something deeper.
The first guest is Cienfue (click here if you want to know more about him):
A Panamanian artist and pioneer of Latin indie, with over one hundred released songs and a sonic coherence as strange as it is essential. He defines himself as the creator of tropical psychedelia, a concept that sounds like a luminous jungle, seas with memory, and guitars that vibrate as in dreams.
Therefore, It's not unusual for him to mix ayahuasca with distortion, or to name Jesus and Rick Rubin as influences. Although Having navigated the music industry for years, he still speaks from an honest and somewhat wild place.
Here he is, calmly, clearly, and with a touch of tropical chaos answering our first questionnaire.
🎵 1. Which of your songs would you recommend…?
Life in the Tropics. It's the most listened-to track in my entire catalog of over 100 original songs. It has accumulated 8 million streams on Spotify and represents more than 50% of my monthly streams.
Something special With that song, we captured the essence of tropical nature with a psychedelic touch.
🌈 2. What word or concept best defines your sound?
Tropical Psychedelia. Psychedelic Colors and Influences of Ayahuasca and Lost Cities of the Americas
The first vulture that appeared, the day my heart died, welcomed me, welcome to "Chollywood"»
🧔♂️ 3. Who is your current musical hero?
Rick Rubin
✝️ 4. Social or political hero?
Jesus
🤝 5. Which artist would you like to collaborate with?
Rick Rubin (again!)
💿 6. What's the last album that blew your mind?
Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream, I just rediscovered it and it's incredible.
🏄 7. What inspires you beyond music?
Surfing!
Each session is a blessing; that communion with the sea, the waves, and nature fascinates me.
💸 8. What would you change about the current music business?
Well, I don't see it as a business. Only a handful actually manage to become stars and live well.
Before, Without a record deal, you couldn't reach anyone. Now, With Spotify —even though I pay very little— at least my music reaches the world.
🎧 Here are Cienfue's most listened-to songs.
So Turn up the volume, open your senses and immerse yourself in this sonic jungle.
