Divergent Beats

There are albums that soundtrack your life. And then there are albums that challenge you to feel — deeper, bolder, freer. Spanish Leather, the stunning second record by Spanish artist Guitarricadelafuente, does exactly that. It’s not just a new chapter in his career — it’s a reinvention of sound, identity, and emotional storytelling.

From flamenco guitars to lush global production, from whispers of sensuality to thunderclaps of vulnerability, Spanish Leather is a deeply felt journey through love, memory, and personal evolution. It’s both grounded in tradition and fiercely modern — the kind of project that doesn’t follow trends, but sets them.

From Bedroom Ballads to Global Soundscapes

Guitarricadelafuente — real name Álvaro Lafuente — broke through with a voice that sounded like it came from a different century: intimate, raw, steeped in the folklore of his Aragonese roots. But with Spanish Leather, he’s expanded his universe. Recorded between Los Angeles, Madrid, and Barcelona, the album fuses elements of flamenco, pop, soul, and experimental production with help from A-list collaborators like Carter Lang (SZA), Jasper Harris (Jack Harlow), and Rodaidh McDonald (The xx, King Krule).

And yet, for all the sonic elevation, the soul of Guitarricadelafuente’s music remains untouched — honest, aching, and full of heat.

“I didn’t want to chase hits,” he told Los40. “I just wanted to create songs that feel real to me. The music I make comes from a place of innocence, and I don’t expect anything back.”
(Original: “No quiero buscar hits, quiero hacer canciones con las que me sienta a gusto… nacieron de un lugar muy inocente.”)

It’s this intention — the refusal to commodify emotion — that gives Spanish Leather its quiet power.

Love, Desire, and the Wildness of Feeling

The album is drenched in sensuality — but not the performative kind. This is desire as truth. Vulnerability as strength. From the haunting openness of “Puerta del Sol” to the aching poetry of “Tramuntana,” Guitarricadelafuente sings about love not as a product, but as a lived experience.

“The tramuntana wind blows so hard, people say it drives you mad,” he explained. “But no matter how much you resist, it will sweep you away.”

This metaphor — of surrendering to emotional intensity — sits at the heart of the album. The wind, like love, doesn’t ask for permission.

And nowhere is that intensity more alive than in “Babieca,” a standout track named after the legendary horse of Spanish folk hero El Cid. The song is a gallop through memory and mythology, riding a production that feels as old as the mountains and as fresh as sunrise in Madrid. It’s a reminder: tradition isn’t a cage — it’s a weapon, a mirror, a crown.

A Soundtrack for a New Generation

Spanish Leather speaks directly to a generation that’s done with surface-level sentiment. Guitarricadelafuente gives us something deeper — a body of work that embraces softness without losing strength, that merges masculine and feminine energy into something whole and powerful.

In a cultural moment full of noise, he dares to be quiet. In an industry chasing numbers, he chooses feeling.

And the result is one of the most compelling releases of the year — music that doesn’t just fill space, but creates it.

Why We’re Obsessed

At Divergent Beats, we talk a lot about music that disrupts. Music that dares. Spanish Leather does all that and more. It’s a tapestry of old souls and young hearts. It’s what happens when an artist steps into full creative ownership — not just of his sound, but of his story.

Whether you’re dancing alone to “Puerta del Sol” at 2am, or feeling your way through heartbreak with “Tramuntana” on repeat, this album isn’t just something you listen to. It’s something you let happen to you.

And in 2025? That might be the most radical thing an artist can do.

Spanish Leather is out now on all platforms. Stream it. Feel it. Let it sweep you away.

And here is our Emotional Tracker:

Ivan Gorini – Freelance Journalist