Ciutat and Carlos de Jacoba seem to be pursuing a collaborative project, a successor to ‘Ciutat L’Amistat’. At first glance, mixing whatever Ciutat does—with all its vocoders, synthesizers, and pop melodies—with the flamenco of cantaor Carlos de Jacoba might come across as gaudy. It turns out to be a breath of fresh air. ‘Río’ is Song of the Day.
‘Blanco Envidia’ was the first single from what looks to be Ciutat and Carlos de Jacoba’s upcoming album, which will also be titled ‘Blanco Envidia’. That track was far subtler in its blend of styles, yet just as palpable. By contrast, ‘Río’ is an explosion of stimuli from its very first seconds.
The spirit of the 1980s lives in the drum machine, in its bright synths and its cheerful melody, while Carlos de Jacoba summons handclaps and guitar with his soulful voice: ‘Río, I feel like a river’, he sings before the chorus. This is pure Ciutat, but the cantaor also joins the ensemble of voices: ‘Do you see it or not? / What is / Or don’t you see it? / The path is marked by your feet’.
Carlos de Jacoba and Ciutat have announced a 2027 club tour in which they will pass through Granada (January 29), Madrid (February 19) and Barcelona (April 1). Moreover, they are part of Primavera Sound’s lineup.
