Patafunk Restores the Spirit with New Album High Life!

Venezuelan singer-songwriter, producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist Patafunk has won listeners over throughout the Americas for more than a decade, and this year, the talented artist makes his long-awaited return with the release of his third studio album.

Washing over the soul like island sunshine, High Life! is an expertly-crafted, thoughtful collection four years in the making. Over the course of nine effervescent tracks plus two live recordings, Patafunk shapes a compelling story through a buffet of sounds and aural textures, celebrating diversity and multiculturalism while setting forth a welcome message of hope and unity.

Having released his previous album Playa in 2011, the nine-year hiatus seems to have served his creativity well, as High Life! delivers a refreshing, much-needed reprieve from mainstream fare. Not only does it showcase Patafunk’s explosive, intriguing genius, but it also fills a space in Latin music that has been begging to be filled. Challenging a variety of barriers and concepts, the artist seamlessly fuses multiple Latin and African styles, such as reggaeton, salsa, reggae, dembow, hi-life, dancehall and cumbia, to create a vibrant and airy project anchored by acoustic and electronic elements.

As the country, and the world, faces turmoil and unrest on a daily basis, it helps to know the greatest minds are still creating, ushering and guiding us through to the other side with their art. High Life! encourages listeners to embrace positive progress during a time when we need it most.

“High Life! comes at a time when many of us are feeling great uncertainty and confusion,” Patafunk explains. “We are rethinking our collective interpretations of the world. In that context, leaning on community, positivity, and unity is not only a nice thought, it is necessary to help us find a path forward.”

The album also boasts a slew of contributors that carry it to exciting heights. 30+ artists and collaborators including Brooklyn-based Russian-American artist DJ Zev, trombonist Darius Christian, violinist Molly Fletcher, and Aureliano Mendez (aka Panasuyo) have left their signature on this luscious collection.

Most recently, Patafunk shared the music video for the single “Marina,” which claims the popular Trinidadian artist Braveboy as a featured guest. A fitting conclusion for the summer season, “Marina” takes listeners back to Pata’s origins, finding its roots in the 1959 international Italian hit of the same name by Rocco Granata along with inspiration from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Nabucco. Tropical, revitalizing, and oh so feel-good, the song captures a sense of happiness in a bottle, while the inclusion of live instruments such as harp, guitars, and even a horn section inspired by Herb Alpert’s hit “Rise,” uplift and restore the spirit.

“With Marina, as with the rest of the album, I wanted to create something new, push the envelope of Latin-pop records but at the same time honor the records and sounds that inspired us and represented important moments in music history,” Patafunk reveals.

Having burst onto the scene in 2008 with a debut album that was named by Rolling Stone Latin America as one of the best albums that year, it perhaps comes as no surprise that High Life! is such a magnificent work. Rich with the history of the Caribbean, High Life! is the perfect accompaniment for kicking back, relaxing, and finding ourselves again.

Listen to High Life! below.