Who or what is Sleepwalker's Station? This is a question many have asked themselves over the past six years at one of their approximately 700 live performances across Europe. Whether at the Glastonbury Festival in England or the No Sin Música Festival in Spain, the musical collective repeatedly appears in various lineups. And just as colorful and diverse as the band's lineup is the new album by the Italian-German-Spanish collective, recorded with over 20 musicians from across Europe. The genre spectrum ranges from chanson and tango to Alpine singer-songwriters, without losing a certain folk core.
Lorca is the title of the sixth album by songwriter Daniel del Valle & Co. and comprises 14 songs in five languages ​​and four dialects, telling of journeys through the Andes, of people, cities and streets, of mass migrations and Lake Garda. The new album is not only linguistically but also musically an adventure full of color from different cultures and styles. Thus, in the indie folk of the European collective on Lorca, we find nuances of Argentinian tango, Andalusian flamenco, Franco-Belgian chansons, Viennese waltzes mixed with reggae rhythms, Italian hip hop and Austro-Bavarian singer-songwriter tradition. And yet, all these colorful, seemingly diverse mosaics fit together harmoniously, like the leaves of a tree in autumn when they cover the ground with their colorful coat.
For example, a song begins like the soundtrack to Amélie, with an accordion and a harmonium, followed by a violin, then a cello; more and more instruments flow in until, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, the waves calm down, the storm subsides, and everything falls silent, before the strings of a Spanish guitar energetically strike up "Hacia Marte" with Iberian temperament! Olé! But the first real surprise comes when the trombone, saxophone, and trumpet enter in the reggae rhythm of "Rue du Bourg," to which the cello, violin, bowed double bass, and clarinet respond in waltz time. At this point, at the very latest, you get the feeling of hearing and experiencing something unique.
The band worked for three years with a total of 20 musicians from across Europe. Among them were an Icelandic singer, a flamenco gypsy from Jerez de la Frontera, and a rapper from Milan. The choice of languages ​​and dialects reflects the roots and identities of each band member: In addition to Spanish, Italian, German, French, and English, Catalan, Bavarian, Venetian, and Andalusian also appear. The album was mixed by Calexico sound engineer Craig Schumacher in Arizona and subsequently mastered at the renowned JJ. Golden Studios in California.