Avant Garde Pop from Yo

Valencia-based artist David G. Borrero, operating under the artistic banner Yo, has been walking a path paved by versatility and vision. A creative figure unchained by genre boxes, his work includes music, books and poetry, each outlet infused with his curiosity and desire to create meaning from his experiences. With his musical output, he made his entrance back in 2007 with the debut solo record Vala, then working with Miguel Giner in the band Jade for the 2009 metal style album De lirios y delirios.

This year marks the arrival of perhaps his most personal and poignant project to date; in June, following the passing of his grandmother, Carmen Sánchez Barrera, Yo found himself in what he describes as an obsessive, luminous state. While he was hospitalised himself during those days, his focus remained unshakable and he decided he was going to make her a record.

His grandmother had once dreamed of a career as a singer and in her youth, she was told that her voice was so remarkable that industry professionals wanted to turn her into a star. They had even chosen her stage name, Carmina Alegría. But life’s course took her elsewhere, leaving her with little more than the echo of what might have been. With his new album named Carmina Alegría in tribute, Yo fulfils that dream posthumously, giving voice to a story left unfinished.

The album’s concept is forged in memory, spirituality and an exploration of grief transfigured into beauty. By invoking his grandmother’s unrealised alter ego, Yo creates a space where her voice, her story and her spirit find permanence through music. His latest single titled “Volver al aire” captures this endeavour with particular force, positioned at the heart of the record, the song plays out as a dialogue between death and the one preparing to depart.

Wrapped up in an experimental pop framework, the track comes into focus with the swell of spacey synth textures as an operatic voice floats above, met by Yo’s achingly emotive vocal leads. Engaging in a balletic dance, the duet between the singers crafts a mesmeric scene as the twinkle of chiming instrumental tones and the patter of pulsing percussion hints as the incoming rhythmic energy. Progressing with dazzling vocal performance and an engrossing arrangement that transports listeners to a dreamy sphere, the intricate layers of instrumentation and vocals casts an enveloping listening experience that’s moving and truly memorable.

It’s a spectacular showcase of Yo’s enduring creativity and thoughtful musical vision, offering a stunning musical moment unlike any other. Through Carmina Alegría, Yo is set to showcase once again his ability to move beyond genre labels and embrace art as an act of transformation. What began as a personal response to tragedy has blossomed into a record that pays homage to his grandmother’s legacy as well as the power of music to make the unseen visible, to give permanence to what might otherwise have been lost.

Listen to Volver al aire below

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