chinachinachina releases debut album

From the sun-drenched coast of Málaga comes a trio shaking up Spain’s alternative pop lexicon, chinachinachina, a name that already sounds like rhythm. Their music sits somewhere between dream and reality, a spectral blend of dream rock, contemporary R&B and electronic textures that dissolve the edges of genre. At once cinematic and intimate, their sound has that unique quality of being recognisable at first listen yet impossible to neatly label.

The trio features the talents of Annie Bravo on vocals and keys, Juande Jiménez on drums, programming and bass and Javier Moral on guitars and synths, forming an act built on adventurous musical experimentation. Together, they create what feels like a living sound machine, driven by instinct and flair, offering music built not from formulas, but from chemistry. The band’s creative process brings together airy melodies, dense grooves and digital edges to soften into human warmth; listening to chinachinachina feels like being pulled underwater, only to resurface breathless and awake.

Their debut record, dive in / breathe out, serves up a carefully crafted outing that positions chinachinachina as one of the most intriguing new outfits in Spain’s alternative scene. With Grammy-nominated John Foyle, known for work with FKA twigs, Damon Albarn and Gorillaz on production and Mucky, collaborator of Sevdaliza and Pabllo Vittar lending his melodic talents, the record achieves a deft balance between impact and organic flow.

Across its two-part structure, dive in / breathe out traces a full emotional arc, with the dive in movement pulling listeners downward into the depths, into mistakes, heartbreak and the type of reflection that leaves a mark. breathe out is its counterpart, a slow resurfacing, a moment of calm and perspective after the storm. It’s about resurfacing, the calm that follows intensity, the understanding that arrives after darkness. The dual structure reflects both the tension and release that define their sound, it’s less an album and more a breathing entity, alive with emotion and movement.

The album’s origins are as intimate as its sound, with Annie Bravo explaining, “There was a moment when all these songs were meant to stay hidden in a drawer. They only existed as a way for me to reconnect with my essence. If Javi hadn’t pushed me to share them and develop them together, this album wouldn’t exist.” That act of encouragement, of translating private reflection into shared creation, is the record’s heartbeat. It’s a story of trust as much as artistic expression, proof that vulnerability can be a platform rather than a flaw.

chinachinachina’s music feels suspended between worlds, the ethereal melancholy of London Grammar, the nocturnal pulse of Darkside and the whispered intimacy of The xx, all refracted through their distinctly Andalusian lens. But even as their output nods toward global influences, dive in / breathe out feels like something untethered from geography or trend, presenting a soundscape unrolling in slow motion, timeless and untamed.

The band’s rise has been steady but assured, with early support from Radio 3, Primavera Sound and Jenesaispop as well as appearances on multiple artists to watch lists for 2026, they’ve already captured national attention with just a handful of singles. Now, with their debut album, they move beyond promise into presence and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got lined up for the rest of 2026 and beyond.

Listen to dive in / breathe out below