Latinx soul-pop artist stuns with therapeutic new record
Harmless is the moniker of Nacho Cano, a Mexico City-born, Los Angeles-residing musician who crafts moody, ethereal soul-pop. Cano’s new album Condiciones has a striking origin story. A day after finishing his previous EP A Donde Te Vas?, Cano suffered a horrible accident in which a drunk driver struck him while he was out biking. While recovering on bed-rest, a friend lent Cano a small keyboard, and Cano began writing and recording new songs as a form of therapy.
The resulting Harmless EP Condiciones was crafted throughout his ongoing recovery process, and the songs reflect the many mental and emotional hurdles that Cano overcame. The Latinx artist conjures spiritual saxophone performances on tracks like “Octavio y Yo” and “Clavo Saca Clavo,” pulling in intimate soundscapes via poignant songwriting and warm production. He injects a searing sample of a friend’s voicemail for him on the loungey “Te Quiero” as the record takes on a highly confessional tone. Bleary, intricate musicianship and soothing vocals round out this excellent 4-track EP that recalls acts like Blood Orange and Wild Nothing.
“Though the songs are indirect about their relationship to the accident that nearly cost my life, the samples all relate to videos taken throughout recovery, or supportive voicemails left behind by friends,” Cano shared. “The samples act as textures that, while I was writing the songs, reminded me of the very thing that I was going through.”
Give it a listen below.
