Trueno Expands His Sound — and Takes the Producer's Seat — on ‘El Último Baile' Deluxe
'It's a weird metaphor, I know, but every album I make is the child of the one that preceded it,' the 23-year-old rap star Trueno says on a recent Zoom call from his home in Argentina. He looks a bit subdued today: He was playing soccer with friends when suddenly it started to rain — as it often does in Buenos Aires — and he got a bad case of the flu.
But Trueno's face lights up the moment he begins talking about the brand new tracks on the deluxe edition of El Último Baile. They find him once again in a sweet crux of inspiration that appears no know no end. The propulsion of his staccato rhymes on opening cut 'GRANDMASTER' ooze attitude, while the chilled R&B vibe of 'LAURYN' employs orchestral flourishes to grand cinematic effect. Trueno made a name for himself as a teen freestyle champ, but he quickly developed into a refined craftsman of sound.
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'When we recorded Atrevido, our initial focus was digital and underground,' he says in reference to his 2020 debut. 'Then [global hit] 'Mamichula' appeared out of nowhere, and it required brass and a string section. On [my second album] Bien o Mal, 'Dance Creep' captured the essence of my musical identity, and in turn led to El Último Baile. My first album was a tribute to the barrio; the second, to hip-hop itself; the third one, to my culture.'
The deluxe edition also signals a new beginning, with Trueno delving into Ableton and producing his own tracks for the first time. In between touring Europe and Latin America, he started conceptualizing his next album.
'We're hosting the initial songwriting camps,' he says. 'It's a combination of anxiety and ambition that I love to experience. I feel completely naked whenever I release a new group of songs into the world. The trick is to give up trying to surpass any previous work, and look for a new focus instead.'
Here, Trueno walks us through three of the strongest cuts on EUB Deluxe.
'This is one of my favorite songs ever. It's the natural consequence of so many different things. I finally found a certain darkness in the musical component, the kind of feeling that I love. It has the funk of 'Dance Crip' fused with the West Coast sound, and a bit of drill — the youngest child of hip-hop culture. On the last verse, I wanted to include what I consider to be the South American version of drill: Brazilian funk.
It's also the first time that I'm creating my own backing tracks. After El Último Baile, I got tired of the uncertainty of relying on producers. I finally got the software, set up my home studio and started to produce myself.'
'This one started with a beat by Tatool, my producer. We developed it in a van, going from Alicante to Málaga (we're unbearable, yes.) It's a house beat, slowed down to the point where it sounds like boom bap, then blended with disco elements. I wrote the verses in 40 minutes, and recorded them under the bed at the hotel where we were staying [Laughs.]
I had good energy with Young Miko, even though we hadn't met in person. I got in touch and told her that she was perfect for this — if she refused, I would just finish it on my own. Tatool had worked with her, and told me that our deliveries are compatible; the flow, the Spanglish, a strong hip-hop influence. But she is also versatile, and her stuff has that party element that I love. Miko recorded her verse on her own, and then we met in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the music video.'
'It's my favorite track on the deluxe edition [of this album]. I like that it doesn't have any singing, bridges or extra sections. It's just verses, real facts, showcasing my most relaxed aspect. I didn't really write this one — just started freestyling at home, one bar after the other. It's like a freestyle battle, my take on having fun and showing off your flow by staying fresh and voicing out whatever is on your mind. It's like 'Dance Crip,' but a little bit rougher.'
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