Lifted from the imminently releasing Ma.
Folk musician Devendra Banhart has shared the second single from his imminently arriving album Ma.
‘Abre Las Manos’ – which translates to ‘open your hands’ in English – is, like many of the songs on Banhart’s forthcoming long player, sung in Spanish and inspired by his homeland of Venezuela. A tranquil landscape of gentle guitar strums, shuffling, subdued percussion and meandering piano embellishments pave way for Banhart’s compelling ruminations.
Hear ‘Abre Las Manos’ below.
Discussing the presence of Venezuela within the subject matter of his new project Banhart states
“My brother is in Venezuela, my cousins, my aunts and uncles. They are just holding their breath, in gridlock standstill. Maybe there is more Spanish writing on Ma because of the helplessness I’m feeling, it’s on my mind more than ever. I was thinking about the sorrow of having to put a child up for adoption, loving that child but not being with them, for whatever reason. That child is out in the world and you have to love them from afar. And that is exactly how I have felt observing the situation in Venezuela. There’s this helplessness, this place that has been a mother to you, that you’re a mother to as well, and it’s suffering so much. There is nothing you can do but send out love and remain in that sorrowful state.”
Ma releases on September 13th via Nonesuch.
Words by Sam Wilkinson.
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Fruit and Grooves Collective 