Helado Negro’s remarkable fifth album Private Energy got a makeover earlier this year with a remastered and expanded vinyl release through NYC label RVNG. Now, Roberto Carlos Lange is treating us with a new “mellow bump jam” – as he put in his own words – via the 2017 Adult Swim Singles Series. Following tracks by Downtown Boys and Tanya Tagaq, “Come Be Me” is as strong as anything you’d find on Helado Negro’s albums, and it will certainly have you grooving in your chair.
In its first few seconds, Lange teases us with weightless sounds straight from the universe of Private Energy, but, shortly after, it builds meaty muscles that snatch us from our routine and invite us to dance to its funky beat. “You and me can make it forever/’Cause I can call you up and you can say my name,” he sings playfully on an irresistible hook. This is pop gold right here.
Helado told The FADER that the song is about building lasting friendships. “It’s a love song. It’s about nurturing the friendships you have. Most of the time I get it wrong, but it’s a blind optimism with love that gets you to the other side, sometimes,” he says.
On July 27, Helado Negro will play the second edition of Nosotros Fest, hosted by Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra during the Lincoln Center Out of Doors celebration, and also featuring Xenia Rubinos, Las Cafeteras, and more.