"photo by Easton Schirra"
The track Para Poder Llorar by Harmless, the latest musical project of Nacho Cano (Twin Cabins, Canito) is a dreamy synth-pop love letter to those who helped him out during difficult times. Two years ago, Cano was hit be a drunk driver while riding his bike to work and was nearly killed. It was a crucial time, things were on the upswing with the release of his last EP. "A Donde Te Vas?" but the path to recover was difficult and even though the EP was shared it seemed to put his life on pause as he fought through post surgery rehabilitation.
Para Poder Llorar and the eventual EP where it resides, "Condisciones" is in essence, a soundtrack to his recovery process, each song inspired by the process. While on bed rest, a close friend of Cano's lent him a small keyboard to help pass the time. He told him about the legendary musician Robert Wyatt (UK) who tragically became a paraplegic (1973) after a fall from a window. Prior to the accident he was a singer and drummer but after he had to shape-shift into other realms. He added keyboards, guitar, bass. trumpet and cornet to his skill set becoming one of the "founders" of the progressive fusion outfits Soft Machine and Matching Mole within the Canterbury jazz rock scene. Cano, of course, did recovery and the Official Video for Para Poder Llorar document the process. As the songs that he penned during his recovery took shape he also blended in aspects of the recovery process through samples of voicemails, videos and audio recordings from his hospital room.
The video for Para Poder Llorar is a sweet and bittersweet look inside and a testimony to love and catharsis rolling on synth sparkles, ethereal guitar lines, finger snaps, Fender Rhodes style keys, an enchanting groove / beat and dream pop vox. A beautiful soulful hush of sounds full of percussive hugs and dashes of embracing hope and longing.
"Written during my recovery after a drunk driver nearly took my life. Although I couldn't walk, I had music as an outlet.This record was a form of therapy that I am happy to share with you all. It features samples of voicemails left behind my friends during recovery, videos of me learning to walk again. I hope that you enjoy." - Nacho Cano
-Robb Donker
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM- PRESS NOTES:
Two years ago, Nacho Cano was nearly killed by a drunk driver while riding his bike to work. On the eve of the accident, the rising artist had just finished his last EP, A Donde Te Vas?, with eager hopes to share it with the world. He had just inked a deal with management, and was starting to find himself on a path to success. Although the EP was shared, Cano struggled with recovery and his career was put on pause; Cano fought to return to life.
Previously, Cano had made a name for himself with driving guitar pop a la Wild Nothing or Diiv, but in the wake of his accident, he's shed the indie rock stylings for dreamy R&B, layered with bright synths, smooth vocals and saxophone flourishes. It recalls the moody, beautifully saturated music of artists like Blood Orange and Solange.
While on bed rest, a close friend lent him a small keyboard to write music. The friend mentioned Robert Wyatt and how it helped him cope. As Cano learned how to walk again, to be again, he worked on songs and sketches as a form of therapy. Sometimes in a wheelchair and eventually on his feet, Condiciones (Conditions) was the result of that therapy. Condiciones was written throughout the ongoing recovery period, it samples materials from the past two years, voicemails, videos of Cano learning to walk again, and audio recordings from his hospital room. The sketches that accompany the album art, are based on stills that were taken of the accident.
The songs that comprise this brief EP are a celebration - of making music again, of getting back to life and being alive.
"Written during my recovery after a drunk driver nearly took my life. Although I couldn't walk, I had music as an outlet.This record was a form of therapy that I am happy to share with you all. It features samples of voicemails left behind my friends during recovery, videos of me learning to walk again. I hope that you enjoy."
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