By Daniel López @danicattack
Editor's Note: This weekend, as one of the bands selected through the district call for Rock al Parque, the Bogota-based group will be featured in the festival's program. Danicattack. Therefore, we took the opportunity to ask Daniel López, the band's lead singer, what his ten favorite Latin American songs of all time are, along with his explanation. Here is his Latin set:
Charly García: Silver on Silver(Masterpiece) I had the opportunity to hear, sing, and dance to this incredible piece of Latin American rock for the first time when I was 8 years old, when the sounds of Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Brahms filled my home. It was perhaps the moment when I began to admire the wealth of gifts that Charly García would give me up to that point.
Soda Stereo, Was: (Crying with Pleasure) From Dynamo, an album that deserves to be idolized for its openness and atmosphere, and with a memorable trumpet-driven feel, Was It deserves to be sung and imitated by those who believe they are grateful for a long heartbreak, an ideal disappointment to find this beautiful piece.
Andrés Gualdrón and the White Animals – John Wayne (Landscapes) I had the opportunity to meet the genius Andrés Gualdrón. When I listened to and enjoyed the harmonious landscapes and subtle changes this song evoked, I couldn't stop singing it. A simple version from an unfamiliar landscape. An underrated song, perfect for generating feelings.
Sebastian Casafua – The Gospel of Those Who Believe in Nothing: (Anthem) Full of harmonic clichés and melodic motifs that one would want for oneself, all that remained was to meet Sebastián and his combo (Uruguay), to incite the singing at the top of one's lungs of a song that sounds in the heart.
Oh'laVille – Darling(Friendship Anecdotes) When I saw the video for "Cielo"—a patchwork quilt in HD—at such a special gathering, I knew I wanted to sing this song forever. For me, it represents the union of Danicattack with the national independent music scene.
Serú Giran – Waiting to be born(Revealing that I'm made for something) A blues created to identify with a click that has to happen somewhere along the way. The encounter with the strings, the bends, and the desperate cry to find a path.
Jorge Drexler – The Age of Heaven(Light in the midst of unexpected darkness) “Calm, all is calm, let the kiss last, let time heal, let the soul be the same age as the sky…”. A polished story of reuniting with distant inner souls.
Fito Páez – Veronica(The nuances of an impersonal story) I'm including this song because the line "All the lives fell into the sea...it's so gentle to see them" resonates with me. It's a parallel to what worked perfectly at the time (20 years ago). The inclusion of pads and sequences enriches this song beautifully.
Illya Kuryaki – Xanadu(6/8) A guitar-driven ballad very much in their style. But the form and essence enrich it and make it danceable. Delicious from beginning to end.
The Three – It broke my heart: (A Naive Person's Response) You can judge me, but I find in this marvel, Latin American folkloric answers allied with powerful rock and a sudden rise that only suggest staying there, sheltered in the hopelessness of a breakup.
Bonus track: Danicattack – Through the Glass(Seeing life from the other side) The reflection. Actions from the other side. Realizing how difficult it is. The burdens and the condemnations. A unique and unrepeatable feeling. Finding the center.
