ABRAHAM RIVAS: Canciones con corazón – desde el corazón de Valencia

FROM the heart of sun-kissed Valencia, yet inspired by the Californian sounds of David Crosby, Buffalo Springfield, and Joni Micthell, ABRAHAM RIVAS has just released latest long-player, ‘Hivern perfecte’ [‘Perfect Winter’].

Having worked as a session musician for almost twenty years, Rivas began writing original material in 2015, and now produces his own albums, playing the majority of instruments – and singing in Catalan.

“I sing in Catalan since I began to write songs,” he said. “It’s been my first language since I met my wife, right through to today. She always speaks Catalan, so you could say I chose it for love, and I’ve been speaking it for nearly thirty years.

“The very things I care for are expressed in Catalan all around me. From that point, singing in Catalan is a natural thing and it keeps things true, while any other language would make me feel like an imposter. It’s a conscious decision for a lot of musicians – it means fewer listeners are willing to give your songs a chance, but it’s natural and – it sounds sweet!”

“The song ‘Punt vermell’ [Red spot] – [above] – was written during lockdown when I used to smoke out of the window at night. Not too far away, someone else had the same habit. I became aware of it, but all I could ever see was the faint glow of a cigarette, a red spot in the dark. In this song I wonder who this person was. What he or she was thinking about? Could we become friends given the chance?

“Would you mind if I draw a picture of this moment?. Will you be indifferent while I fall into this mirage? I’d like to throw a hook to catch your thoughts. To know which one of them keeps you awake tonight.“

(All photos (c) Natàlia Vignatti & Carla González)

“Since I don’t play many gigs or promote myself too actively, my music usually goes practically unnoticed except for a tiny number of followers – mainly other musicians and sing-songwriters,” added Rivas.

“I consider myself part of the ‘invisible army’ of creators on Bandcamp, which for me is the most album-oriented platform out there and the best for not-that-trendy artists like me to display the music we want to record and listen to outside the forces of the industry.

“All of my albums are recorded and produced at home. The previous one ‘Les capitals, la son, la bena’ (2020) was no exception and was made during lockdown. It’s humble and sparsely produced which to my surprise received positive feedback from David Crosby with whom I shared it on Twitter. Of course, that did bring some attention to the album and with ‘Croz’ being one of my biggest influences, did more than brighten my day.

“But the new album ‘Hivern perfecte’ marks a departure from the acoustic nature of my previous albums. It’s more electric and has a fuller production, including programming and the use of some virtual instruments.

“One of the peculiarities of the album is that the word ‘hivern’ [‘winter’] appears in most of the songs. Acting as a common thread, it refers to a grey and dystopian world where all human rights and freedom are subordinated to the logic of production.

“Depending on the song though, winter takes on different meanings – it’s a shadow in the eye of tired lovers, it’s me looking for a day job because music won’t pay the bills anymore, it’s global fascism emerging. However, the overall tone is not intended to be pessimistic – we may not be able to beat this ‘perfect winter,’ but at least we can resist it.”

Despite the album having love and yearning at its heart, Rivas is not afraid to speak out about the alarming rise of the far right – no matter where it may be taking place.

“The song ‘Tots els estius ens acompanyen’ [‘All Our Summers Lie Within Us’] – [below] – is about the rise of fascism all around. It describes this phenomenon as a fist trying to destroy what it has never known: ‘I’ve seen the blind, soulless fist – Reaching out from the darkness – From night to night, unleashed and wild – Sealing our mouths it always comes back – The rage grows by the hour – I have it inside, I want it outside.’

“But ‘No hi tornarem’ [‘We won’t be here again’] is another love song – [below]. The idea behind this one is that love is the only thing we’ll take with us at the end of the journey. Today we’re here, tomorrow we’re not. Let’s not take for granted what we have, and take care of those who love us. Sílvia Martí sang the sweet harmonies.”

“Catalonia is a tiny territory whose cultural gems, especially its language, are threatened by a hard process of homogenization run by the Spanish state – always kind of hostile towards different cultures. So we tend to take care of them, you know, telling our story. Being Catalans it’s our way to be in the world. I think that the topics I sing about in these songs are quite universal, and they feel honest to me precisely because they’re framed in the real place I live in.”

Connect & further information: HERE

(All photos (c) Natàlia Vignatti & Carla González)