Based in the musical epicenter of Cali, Colombia since 2007, Holland has been exploring cumbias, salsa and Afro-Colombian music through his particular beat-focused, electronic and funk lens. His latest live band project, Quantic y Su Combo Barbaro, a carefully assembled international cast of musical creators including virtuosic salsa pianist Alfredo Linares and Pacific folklore singer Nidia Gongora, is a bold snapshot of an ever-evolving musical landscape in the Americas. Holland also works and exchanges with a cross-section of artists and producers innovatively shaping contemporary music from Latin America as we speak.
His is an on-going story of musical inspiration guided by a curiosity which aims to not only honor and collaborate with excellent artists, but to share and compose new music in a way that is organic, vibrant and relevant. As Holland explains, "I try to make music that encourages people to explore beyond their usual listening circles and check scenes and genres they may otherwise never be exposed to."
"He’s at the forefront of a new global sound.”- Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 1
La Callejera
Quantic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Por las calles del olvido
Buscando un consuelo donde anidar
Esta soledad y mitigar este mal
Buscando un consuelo donde anidar
Esta soledad y mitigar este mal
Rueda por tantos caminos
Dejando jirones en su gemir
En esta quimera que quiere vivir
Callejera tal vez un día
Dejarás de andar por los caminos
Cantando esta zamba mi voz está
Y esta pena vieja se disipará
Cantando este zamba mi voz está
Y esta pena vieja morirá
Tristeza de los caminos
Soledad de larga ausencia
Sos la compañera de este ambular
Cuando por las noches te vuelvo a soñar
Sos la compañera de este ambular
Cuando por las noches te vuelvo a soñar
Porque sufrir ya no quiero
El pesar de su recuerdo
Juntitos en las noches y este cantar
Y así callejera te podré olvidar
Callejera tal vez un día
Dejarás de andar por los caminos
Cantando esta zamba mi voz está
Y esta pena vieja se disipará
Cantando este zamba mi voz está
Y esta pena vieja morirá
The lyrics of Quantic's song "La Callejera" are a melancholic reflection on the pain of solitude and the singer's hope for the eventual dissipation of that pain. The singer describes his grief as a wandering street creature that roams the forgotten streets in search of a place to nest and alleviate its anguish. The song speaks to the enduring nature of grief, as it follows the singer on his journey down the many paths of life.
The singer's voice carries a sense of sadness, yet there is a glimmer of hope that shines through the gloom. He sings of the possibility that one day the pain of his grief will dissipate, and he will be able to leave it behind. The hope of this eventual release drives the singer forward, even as he continues to carry his sorrow with him.
Overall, "La Callejera" is a powerful and emotionally raw song that touches on themes of loss, pain, and hope. Its message is universal and timeless, speaking to the human experience of journeying through life's trials and tribulations.
Line by Line Meaning
Andan rondando mis penas
My sorrows wander around, haunting me
Por las calles del olvido
In the streets of forgetfulness
Buscando un consuelo donde anidar
Looking for a consolation to cling onto
Esta soledad y mitigar este mal
To ease this loneliness and alleviate this pain
Rueda por tantos caminos
This wandering pain wanders many roads
Esta pena callejera
This street sorrow
Dejando jirones en su gemir
Leaving scraps in its moaning
En esta quimera que quiere vivir
In this dream that wants to survive
Callejera tal vez un día
Street sorrow maybe one day
Dejarás de andar por los caminos
You will stop walking down the roads
Cantando esta zamba mi voz está
Singing this zamba, my voice is here
Y esta pena vieja se disipará
And this old sorrow will dissipate
Tristeza de los caminos
Sadness of the roads
Soledad de larga ausencia
Loneliness of long absence
Sos la compañera de este ambular
You're the companion of this wandering
Cuando por las noches te vuelvo a soñar
When at night I dream of you again
Porque sufrir ya no quiero
Because I no longer want to suffer
El pesar de su recuerdo
The pain of his memory
Juntitos en las noches y este cantar
Together at night and this song
Y así callejera te podré olvidar
And so, street sorrow, I can forget you
Esta pena vieja morirá
This old sorrow will die
Contributed by Owen M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.