Rigoberta Bandini has just wrapped up her “Jesucrista Superstar” tour, and she says that her next show will be “giving birth,” since she is already quite far along in pregnancy. Earlier, she released the studio version of a track she had already performed live, and while it isn’t among the best in her catalog, it does feature some intriguing moments.
“Chicle mal enganchado” is tied to the era of “Jesucrista Superstar” more through its experimental spirit than through sheer exuberance. Here there aren’t thrilling melodies like those of “Ay mamá” or “Julio Iglesias,” but rather a mood that is more cynical and nonchalant.
The blend of explosive 80s beats that open the track and recur later, a softer synthetic beat in the verses, grunge guitar hooks, and vocal distortion… could make it one of Rigoberta’s compositions that experiments with a wider array of resources. Yet, between verses that don’t quite take off and a chorus that this time functions more as an instrumental element, the piece fails to settle into a clear direction.
The different textures provided by the gentler, mellower synths in the verses and the playful percussion build a track that is as cynical as its lyrics about a supposed farewell: “I wish you the best / Actually, I’m the same / As a subnormal” or “It doesn’t amuse me to know you’re sad / But in silence I’ve invented a few jokes,” sings the Catalan artist.
The song remains halfway between heartbreak and relief, while the title itself alludes to a relationship that has stuck around where it shouldn’t, like gum that is hard to remove. The problem is that the track still doesn’t quite grab you.
