Music against the cynical presence

How private can sound political music ? If you listen to the Songs of Roberto Carlos Long, which he published as Helado Negro, one can say: very private. Because you sound so gentle, so affectionate, almost dreamlike, that you first of all, nothing the sisters cut from the tumults of the present, the struggle for Survival and the search for a Latin American to the place in the US society, the minds of the originators of this music. And so the Songs of the 39-Year-old, who grew up as the son of Ecuadorian immigrants in South Florida and today lives in New York, especially, a silence rays, the calming effect than any Spa bathing fun and more binding than any loud Cry.

for the time being, Helado Negro has perfected his Songwriting on his latest Album "This Is How You Smile", which is unquestionably among the most outstanding productions of the current Popjahres. His game starts already in the title, the light and optimistic, marriage is a aware of is that this set can also be used as a prompt to Laugh and permanent smile, understood the need to maintain – even when you'd rather cry.

"Yes, in the title of these two pages are stuck inside", says Roberto Carlos Long before his first Swiss concert, which he played in March in Fribourg Düdingen. "Sometimes you go in spite of my optimism about the hold out and the day by somehow." But why is his music, which was formerly based mainly on electronic Beats, has become so cautious? "Silence can be much more powerful than the Loud, because it settles slow in the head and their effects." Long adds that in his music, self-love and Find safety.

No feel-good seminar

in Spite of such statements, in an interview by his shaman-like Aura to her weight: A feel-good seminar is not to offer his Person and his pop music. Since País Nublado", in which Helado Negro between Spanish and English, oscillates, for example, is ". He describes a Phase in his life, he felt as though he was enveloped by a thick cloud. Everything he knows, and sings a Long song that he has orchestrated with acoustic guitar and some keyboard buttons, is: It takes perseverance to make the Land of the clouds behind.

Roberto Carlos Lange's singing, of course, as he tries to overcome his insecurities. But he also mentions the policy of a country that excludes him as a Latino. So the Private in the flows in this Song is Political – and Vice versa. In his so far most famous Song, "Young, Latin and Proud", has sung his younger, frightened me, he made this similar to; in the meantime, this song is a small anthem among the younger Hispanics, who are fighting for a better perception of their different cultures.

So, how does Helado Negro and his music. If he doesn't like something, then it is in the Latin-Pop Label, his Songs are sometimes glued on: "of Course, that is our cultural Background, but we make so different music, and it is not right to reduce us to our origin." And before he goes on stage, he is also the cynicism that so many current pop-cultural products shape, a cancellation. His music is rather a value that must be present are looking for sometimes. This is what we call solidarity.

The song "Young, Latin and Proud" has become a kind of anthem of the Hispanics. source: Youtube

Helado Negro: This Is How You Smile (RVNG Intl.)

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 18.04.2019, 14:59 PM