“Próxima Estación: Esperanza” (English: Next Stop: Hope) stands as Manu Chao’s second solo album, originally released in Europe during 2001 and later made available in the United States on 5 June 2001 under Virgin Records.
The album’s title draws inspiration from a sample of an announcement for the Esperanza station on Madrid Metro’s Line 4; the Spanish word “esperanza” translates to “hope.” Interestingly, the album also makes mention of the Avenida de la Paz (Peace Avenue) station on Line 4, although these two stations are physically separated by several blocks.
The sample used by Chao actually combines two separate announcements. Subsequently, the voice actor Javier Dotú and a Metro announcer took legal action, citing infringement of their intellectual property rights due to the use of their voices.
“Próxima Estación: Esperanza” features vocals in Arabic, English, French, Galician, Portuguese, and Spanish. The song “Homens,” a compelling rap about different kinds of men, was written and performed by Brazilian journalist Valeria dos Santos Costa, who is a close friend of Chao. Interestingly, the backing track for “Homens” is identical to that of “Bongo Bong,” Chao’s successful single from four years prior.
Chao clarified in the short documentary film “Infinita tristeza,” part of the bonus section in his 2002 live DVD “Babylonia en Guagua,” that “Homens” was the original song for which the well-known backing track was recorded.
The album’s final track, “Infinita Tristeza,” lacks Chao’s vocals but utilizes the same backing track as “Me Gustas Tú.” This song incorporates several samples and soundbites, primarily sourced from a cartoon-based TV documentary film about pregnancy and childbirth produced by TVE in 1977, intended for children. Chao employs his signature fragmented style by looping and repeating various voice samples throughout the track.
“Próxima Estación: Esperanza” garnered significant recognition, receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Performance. In 2010, it was listed as #65 in Rolling Stone’s “Best Albums of the Decade.”
Furthermore, in 2012, the magazine ranked it at No. 474 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, praising Chao’s remarkable musical style as he skillfully blends acoustic guitar, horns, and beat-boxes while delivering multilingual commentary on critical topics ranging from politics to cannabis.
