Can’t afford to travel to Barcelona like all your other cool friends? Grab a copy of Macaco’s 2009 release Puerto Presente, released in the US last week. Macaco represents Barcelona, the cosmo capital of the viejo mundo, like nobody else, with his singular mix of reggae, hip-hop, pop, and rumba flamenco, and a constant feel-good mood.
The comparison with Manu Chao is a little too obvious, but that’s probably the most accessible reference of the mestizo rock movement for listeners this side of the Atlantic, who’ve probably also heard of Ojos de Brujo, in which Macaco took his firsts steps on the mic before forming his own band over a decade ago. That band started playing on the sidewalks of the world-famous strip Las Ramblas and now includes musicians from Brazil, Venezuela, Cameroon, and Spain, combined to get that unique multilingual/multicultural sound.
Puerto Presente, his fifth studio album, also features the hit single “Moving.” In the video for the track you can see many familiar faces (Juanes, Bebe, Orishas, Juan Luis Guerra, and even actor Javier Bardem). The summer might be over for us in the northern hemisphere, but with Macaco’s music on your headphones you’re always a closing-of-your-eyes away from the Mediterranean beaches.
Download Puerto Presente at 
And watch Macaco’s “Moving” below to play Where’s Waldo? while spotting the cameos.