Santana Announce New Album, ‘Africa Speaks’
Santana will release a new album called Africa Speaks on June 7 that's "inspired by the melodies, sounds and rhythms of Africa," according to a press release.
Rick Rubin produced at his Shangri La Studios in Malibu. The sessions were described as a "joyous and stimulating 10-day period," with many of the tracks requiring only one take.
For vocals, Santana turned to Buika, a three-time Latin Grammy winner from the island of Mallorca.
You can hear a new song from the album, "Breaking Down the Door," below.
This is the second new work from Santana to arrive in 2019. Back in January, they released an EP called In Search of Mona Lisa, which was inspired by a trip to Paris. Africa Speaks marks the band's first full-length release since 2017's Pipes of Peace, a collaboration with the Isley Brothers.
The album is available for pre-order now in a special bundle with a T-shirt, a blanket and socks at Santana's website. There's also some partnerships with retailers for exclusives, like Barnes & Noble, which is offering a picture disc, and Target, which has a version of Africa Speaks with two bonus tracks.
You can see the track listing below.
Santana will tour this summer with the Doobie Brothers, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Grammy-winning comeback album Supernatural. The shows will start on June 22 in Phoenix and conclude Aug. 25 in Wantagh, N.Y. The dates include an Aug. 17 stop at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, N.Y., as part of the 50th-anniversary Woodstock celebration on the site of the original festival.
Santana, 'Africa Speaks' Track Listing
1. "Africa Speaks"
2. "Batonga"
3. "Oye Este Mi Canto"
4. "Yo Me Lo Merezco"
5. "Blue Skies"
6. "Paraísos Quemados"
7. "Breaking Down the Door"
8. "Los Invisibles"
9. "Luna Hechicera"
10. "Bembele"
11. "Candombe Cumbele"
Target Bonus Tracks
12. "Mientras Tanto"
13. "Dios Bendiga Tu Interior"