Barcelona New Wave

It’s an autumn evening in one of the happiest cities in Spain, if not Europe. Walking down Les Rambles, Plaça Catalunya, even sitting on a terrace having a drink in one of those hip bars, graffiti filled in Raval and while you are going through the motions of your daily commute to work or university, music from your headphones uplifts you yet another day.

Urban beats and heartfelt vocals from a place you know so well, almost like the back of your hand feel comforting and reassuring. No matter what, it brings you back to a place of belonging. You have been young and trying to figure out what to do with your life, you have fallen in love with someone new, or memories from your past significant relationships still keep you warm hearted on such a cold day. You are not the saying cursing words type of person, but that contrast in the music feels liberating.

Lluc, Concert at Laut Venue in Barcelona, March 2024. Pictures by Jan Garsot and Felip Ivo. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Since 2017  there have been bands like 31 Fam who bring  inspiration from its own local DIY scene, and are a household staple at this point. It is easy to picture young new voices cooking up (as some would say) in a studio, you can find them on Instagram sharing snapshots of their creative process or making references to their latest concert. That’s the vibe Lluc Planas and Chicco Noir bring to the yard. The yard being lives of their loyal listeners, always being grateful to those who have supported them from the beginning. There is something intimate and joyful about being a spectator to talented musicians who are starting out, putting their hard work and strong values above and beyond anything else. 

Lluc, Concert at Laut Venue  in Barcelona, March 2024. Pictures by Jan Garsot and Felip Ivo. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

I became familiar with Lluc and Chicco Noir through their chosen illustrator, Clàudia Mañas and both were a great discovery, a previously hidden gem in my radar. Both of them have similarities but are created in different languages. Lluc is from Barcelona and sings in Catalan. His songs are a mix between chill and catchy. My favorites are S.W.A.G and Casa’t amb mi. While being different in their significance, S.W.AG. is a good reflection of fame and success, and Casa’t amb mi an ode to a partner and a confession of love, they still have the kind of rhythm that urges you to sing along and get the cultural references intertwined in the lyrics. 

Cover Art for Totes Les Veus Ara Son Ecos by Claudia Mañas. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Amidst the streets of the city, there is Francesco, A.K.A Chicco Noir, an Italian musician who is making his way with sensitivity and self reflection. His new single, Come Gli Altri was released on September 27 and again, it is ideal for a  rainy evening, it is tender and nostalgic. If you enjoy honesty and nostalgia, you are in for a treat. His work also touches on topics like moving out from your country trying to find yourself somewhere new in hopes of something different but still caring for the place you have left behind. I had the pleasure of talking to him, and in his own words, what he appreciates the most about music is that there are no boundaries, so he feels good experimenting and trying new different music genres. 

Chicco Noir, photograph by Antonio Aracri and cover art by Vito Loiodice. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

In my opinion, this shows clearly in his skill and I am excited to see what will come next while diving into his previous works, like Assaj or Fratellanza. It feels like a privilege to witness something so good right from the start.

Some days when winter is almost rolling in and you are not sad, not angry, not necessarily heartbroken but feel proud of how far you have come in your life, and you are looking for a new flavor of music these very talented young men might be what you are looking for, I know that is my case and I can not stop recommending them enough.