Bocanada

Last updated
Bocanada
Bocanada (Cerati).jpg
Studio album by
Released28 June 1999
Recorded1998–1999
StudioCasa Submarina (Buenos Aires)
Abbey Road Studios (London)
Genre
Length69:19
Label BMG International
Producer Gustavo Cerati
Gustavo Cerati chronology
Amor Amarillo
(1993)
Bocanada
(1999)
Siempre es Hoy
(2002)
Singles from Bocanada
  1. "Raíz"
    Released: May 1999
  2. "Puente"
    Released: August 1999
  3. "Paseo Inmoral"
    Released: November 1999
  4. "Tabú"
    Released: February 2000
  5. "Engaña"
    Released: June 2000
  6. "Río Babel"
    Released: October 2000
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]

Bocanada (Puff) is the second solo album by Argentine musician Gustavo Cerati, released by BMG International on 28 June 1999. Considered by critics and fans as a highlight in Cerati's career, [2] Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as the 2nd best latin rock album of all time. [3] His first album release after the breakup of Soda Stereo, Bocanada followed Cerati's time with the groups Plan V and Ocio, two projects that focused on electronic music. "Raíz" was the album's first cut played in radio stations, "Puente" being the first music video to be released; Bocanada had the most music videos produced of any Cerati album to date. [2]

Contents

Background

During the final stages of Soda Stereo, when the problems within the band became more evident, as well as their imminent breakup, Gustavo Cerati released his first solo studio album, Amor Amarillo(1993). Cerati described it as a "very impulsive [but] not premeditated" album. At the time of its release, Cerati stated that he wasn't thinking about developing a solo career. He said that all the solo albums and releases before Bocanada were made purely for "pleasure," believing that his career was already established with Soda Stereo. Despite this, during the production of the album, Cerati began to save ideas for Bocanada, describing one of its songs, "Pulsar," as "the starting point of Bocanada." After their breakup and brief farewell tour, El último concierto in 1997, Cerati began to plan his solo career, making albums not just for pleasure, and referring to Bocanada as his "first solo album."

Recording

On Bocanada, Cerati takes a turn towards electronic music, with most of the sound being trip hop, downtempo, and neo-psychedelia. In line with other genre pioneers like Massive Attack and Portishead, many of the songs use one or more samples from various artists. Despite the overall electronic sound, the album's most recognizable single, "Puente," is one of the few songs that eschews electronic music as its foundation, instead featuring a more conventional pop-rock sound. Around the time of Soda Stereo's breakup, Cerati had already composed songs with electronic sounds and using computers, some of which ended up on this album.The album was largely created using an Akai MPC, which was essential for the sampling and composition process. These samples were also processed through a Midi Mutator, and he considered these new computerized elements as important to the production as the guitar. Flavio Etcheto, artist and musician, assisted Cerati in essential ways. He participated in all the songs and co-wrote "Alma" and "Perdonar es divino," in addition to contributing loops, samples, and backing vocals. He also acted as an organizer and advisor for Cerati in the formation of his first solo band.

Pro Tools software was also used. Cerati commented on this:

“This album involved a deeper understanding of the computer. I was able to get more out of it. Until Amor Amarillo, I was working without a computer. But when I bought the Macintosh, I started experimenting, and by Sueño Stereo, many of the arrangements were created entirely within the machine. The idea behind that album was "let's put everything into the computer"; it's a natural reaction when you encounter a system and think, "What an incredible number of possibilities!" However, I also noticed that this abundance of possibilities complicates things when you have to make a decision. What's the most creative approach? To choose a couple of things and develop an idea from there.”

Composition

Bocanada opens with “Tabú” which introduces sounds with Electronica,Sampledelia and Jazz elements. It demonstrates the hability and prose of the recording techniques and structures of the songs, as proven with “Puente”, an Alternative Rock and Electronica song with a pop sensibility that stretches to other songs on the album. This album also shows Cerati’s desire to explore electronic music as a whole. Bocanada is mainly a Dream pop, Trip hop, Psychedelia and Electronica album with strong influences from art rock and downtempo. Other genres appear as influence such as Sampledelia, Breakbeat, Plunderphonics and Jazz.

Track listing

All songs written by Gustavo Cerati, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tabú" (Taboo) 4:47
2."Engaña" (It Deceives) 4:12
3."Bocanada" (Puff)Cerati, Pablo Chaijale4:07
4."Puente" (Bridge) 4:33
5."Río Babel" (Babel River) 4:44
6."Beautiful" 6:13
7."Perdonar es Divino" (Forgiveness is Divine) 5:19
8."Verbo Carne" (Flesh Verb) 4:42
9."Raíz" (Root) 4:04
10."Y Si El Humo Está en Foco..." (And If the Smoke Is in Focus...) 4:56
11."Paseo Inmoral" (Immoral Stroll)Cerati, Francisco Bochatón 5:31
12."Aquí & Ahora (Los Primeros Tres Minutos)" (Here & Now [The First Three Minutes]) 3:54
13."Aquí & Ahora (Y Después)" (Here & Now [And After]) 2:38
14."Alma" (Soul)Cerati, Flavio Etcheto 4:38
15."Balsa" (Raft) 5:05
Total length:69:23

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for Bocanada
Chart (2025)Peak
position
Argentine Albums (CAPIF) [5] 1

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF) [6] Gold30,000^
Mexico (AMPROFON) [7] Gold75,000
United States (RIAA) [8] Gold (Latin)30,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Treble Staff (September 9, 2024). "The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s". Paste . Retrieved March 30, 2025. Intertwining psychedelia, dream pop and trip-hop...Bocanada is lush and luxurious and otherworldly at once.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bocanada - Gustavo Cerati | Album". AllMusic . Retrieved Jul 27, 2024.
  3. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-latin-american-rock-albums-1234818717//
  4. "CERATI.COM - Bocanada". Cerati.com. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  5. "Los discos más vendidos". Diario de Cultura. Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Archived from the original on 25 August 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  6. "Argentinian album certifications – Gustavo Cerati – Bocanada". Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers . Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  7. "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas . Retrieved July 1, 2024.Type Gustavo Cerati in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Bocanada in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  8. "American album certifications – Gustavo Cerati – Bocanada". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 15, 2022.