By Felipe León (Expectador, November 10, 2022)

These days, the project Mueres en el Mar has been actively performing across the central-southern region of Chile, promoting their first full-length album. The promotion includes an unmissable live show scheduled for November 25 at the SCD in Plaza Egaña. I can only hope that those who have had the privilege of seeing them live were able to connect with the beautiful songs featured in Ikigai. These songs focus on creating a profound connection with listeners, fostering bonds that bring people and emotions together under the premise inspired by Japanese culture and its philosophy of life.

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This philosophy defines and envelops the foundations of a work that feels like a symbolic artistic and personal manifesto by Maca Carreño, who showcases her creative talents through her voice and compositions. It also reflects the driving forces behind her own Ikigai. At the same time, the album serves as a centerpiece of the band’s collective explorations, weaving through highly emotional, cathartic, and sincere moments. These are imbued with memories and feelings, conveyed through the sophisticated emotionality of their pianos and ambient arrangements, as well as their electronic influences. The band navigates seamlessly through a perspective close to art pop and Latin electronic music, exploring narrative and sonic sensitivities without feeling forced. Everything flows naturally here.

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“After deep collective reflections, the band and I concluded that the album embodies my Ikigai. Communication and understanding are the most important things to me, so every song expresses a bond. For example, ‘Precipicio’ is a story about my grandfather, ‘Mentes sin yo’ reflects my relationship with myself, ‘Sangre de mar’ explores my connection with the land, ‘Irreal’ is about my parents, and ‘Nos vemos’ is dedicated to my sister,” explains Maca.