ON THIS NEW ALBUM IN TRIBUTE TO HIS HOMETOWN AND HIS PARENTS' HISTORY, MARINERO NAVIGATES BETWEEN TROPICALIA, 60s POP, BOSSA NOVA AND MEXICAN TRADITIONS
Hella Love, Marinero’s new album, is about a chapter ending. It’s Jess Sylvester’s big goodbye, and a love letter to his hometown and the place where he grew up, the San Francisco Bay Area, before moving to Los Angeles once the record was finished. By taking the name Marinero ('sailor' in Spanish), Jess pays tribute to his parents' stories - a sailor father, and a Mexican-American mother who grew up in San Francisco. From start to finish, this album blends several worlds. Drawing influence from Latin American bands and international composers of the 60s and 70s such as Los Terricolas, Ennio Morricone, Esquivel, Carole King and Serge Gainsbourg, Hella Love features a fusion of classic arrangements across a wide variety of genres, always evoking a certain nostalgia mixed with contemporary singer-songwriters like Chicano Batman, Connan Mockasin and Chris Cohen.
The album was written, performed and produced by Jess Sylvester with the help of sound engineer Jason Kick (Mild High Club) at Santo Recording studio in Oakland. Between tropicalia influences, bossa nova, 60s pop and traditional Mexican music, it is difficult to classify or generalize Marinero's music and identity. For him, who has a lot to share, it is important to let the music speak for itself. Let yourself be carried away by this beautiful discovery.