The legendary French-Spanish performer and songwriter Manu Chao releases 'La Radiolina' - his first new studio album in six years - on Monday 3rd September 2007.
The hotly anticipated new album, released by Because Music, is the follow-up to Chao's three million-selling 'Próxima Estación: Esperanza' in 2001.
Cited by the late Joe Strummer as one of his favourite artists, Manu Chao recorded 'La Radiolina' in Barcelona. The new album was written and produced by Chao with the help of mixers Mario Caldato Jr. (among whose credits are records with the Beastie Boys and Jack Johnson) and Andrew Scheps (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mars Volta). 'La Radiolina' has already been called "a kaleidoscope of brilliant ideas and global musics, full of passionate conviction, nostalgia and celebration, and as such is a more than worthy successor to 'Clandestino'" in the UK's Observer Music Monthly. 'Clandestino' was Chao's breakthrough debut solo album in 1998.
Chao, the son of exiles from Franco's Spain, grew up in Paris. He came to fame as lead singer of the anarchic genre-bending band Mano Negra (the Black Hand). After several albums in France the band split in 1995 and Manu travelled the world before recording his first solo album.
'Clandestino' was a landmark in global Latin fusion and went on to be one of the best-selling albums in French music history, clocking up sales of over three million copies around the world. The follow-up, 'Próxima Estación: Esperanza' (Next Station: Hope). remained at the number one spot in Europe's Top 100 Albums for several weeks.
In addition to his own work, Chao also produced the Malian duo Amadou & Mariam's 'Dimanche à Bamako', one of the most celebrated albums in African music history. In collaboration with the illustrator Wozniak, Chao also released, 'Sibérie m'était contéee', a very limited edition album of acoustic, music sung in French with a book of Wozniak's drawings in September 2004.
Having recently played his most extensive North American tour and a highly acclaimed co-headlining performance at this year's Coachella festival in the USA. Manu Chao will be announcing a UK tour shortly.
A digital four track EP is released on Monday 30th July featuring a radio edit and the album version of 'Rainin in Paradize', as well as an exclusive Spanish version called 'Mama Cuchara' and another new song from the album, 'Panik Panik'.
'Rainin in Paradize' was available as a free download on www.manuchao.net during June. Music Week called the track " ... a fabulous taster from his first album in six years" while The Guardian hailed it as "one of the singles of the year so far".
