WRITTEN BY CAITLIN TRAVERS
It’s not uncommon for singers to produce works that use multiple languages. In an era of global entertainment and accessible translations, bilingual lyrics—while beautiful when done right, are no longer as unique as they once were: entire genres (K-pop, for example) have their claims to fame founded in their bilingualism. That’s what makes singer/songwriter Marco Luka (he/him) so special; he sings exclusively in Spanish in his newest single, “aire.”
Unsurprisingly, the intimacy and beauty of the lyrics aren’t limited by the language barrier at all: Luka’s musicality transcends translation. “Quiero respirar todo tu aire [I want to breathe all your air]”, he sings: the romantic feel and poetically produced lines allow for a breathtaking listening experience, regardless of the single’s foundation in Spanish.
The single, belonging to Luka’s upcoming EP INSOMNIA, pairs well with other pre-releases “rush” and “all night”: but interestingly, it’s a “clear outlier on the project,” Luka reports. “It marks a big moment as my first song released in Spanish, and I feel it adds some color to an otherwise pretty emotionally turbulent listening experience across INSOMNIA. In context, it serves as a break from the darker sounding tracks even though it was made during the same period, and I believe the fun I had while making it is heard clearly in the music.”
The single definitely has a lighter energy about it: the guitar and a higher octave of background vocals allow the song to live up to its name—it’s certainly reminiscent of an airy summer breeze. However, the dense percussion and almost rhythmic lyrics bring the song back to earth, creating a beautifully balanced soundscape.
I’m always happy to see another North Carolina resident flourish—which makes me even happier to announce that Luka’s upcoming tour, starting on October 13th in Vancouver, has an ending destination in Raleigh. Spanning over a month, Marco will be touring alone as an opener for the incredible band Weston Estate, while also pulling double duty as their lead vocalist. The concert sounds like an incredible display of artistry, so I recommend listeners get tickets for this experience soon!