Ceci Bastida is a Tijuana-bred, L.A.-based singer, songwriter, and keyboardist who has recently recorded her new album, "La Edad de la Violencia" (The Age of Violence), which despite the darkness of its themes, pops with electric color, skating tropi beats, lush strings, and blasts of brass. Crisply produced by XXXChange (Spank Rock, Kele, The Kills) and Luke Top (Fool's Gold), "La Edad de la Violencia" was recorded over the past two years as Bastida raised her newborn daughter. Latin Times spoke with Ceci about being a mother in an age of violence.
LT: Tell me a bit about the new album and how it started for you.
CB: I started working on the album when I was pregnant, so back in 2011. So I wrote most of the demos then because I knew that once I had my daughter it was going to be a little tricky for me to get back to work immediately . I started working with a producer who is the singer for the band Fool’s Gold, I did three songs with him. The other seven I did with a producer that I worked with on the first record, and his name is XXXChange.
LT: It’s called "La Edad de la Violencia." Can you tell me about what that title means to you?
CB: The reason why I decided to call it that was that most of the songs talked a little bit about violence in different ways. Whether it was violence against women or violence that was happening in the drug wars or in the U.S. I usually do talk about social issues but when I got pregnant I started thinking about these things even more, and, I’m guessing like any mom, questioning the world we live in and questioning the world that the child is going to be a part of. So you get hypersensitive about these things, so it just came out naturally.
LT: Is there also a feeling of hope for you?
CB: Yes, definitely. They’re not all one hundred percent about violence. I talk about immigration issues, violence and poverty in Mexico. But there’s definitely a feeling of hope -- this is in no way a pessimistic album. In these years since 2011 I’ve met some wonderful people that have done some amazing work with social justice issues, and those people give me a lot of hope. So it’s definitely optimistic in that sense because it’s sort of a tribute to all those people that are doing such hard work to make the world a better place.
LT: How much influence does growing up in Mexico and Tijuana have on your song writing and music?
CB: In terms of the songwriting, it does have a lot of influence. I grew up in a border city where I saw people crossing the border every single day. So I think coming from a border city it’s ingrained in your brain. When I lived in Mexico, I would write from the point of view of people trying to cross and then once I moved here, I started seeing the other side of immigration. Once people are here they face all these other obstacles. It’s part of who I am.
In terms of music, I don’t think the influence is there in any obvious way. But I do use a lot of snares and snare rolls, which are common in Norteno music. I do like a lot of horns, which is part of like a banda sound. But it’s also part of soul or reggae, which is what I listened to when I was growing up. I was able to go to concerts across the border and listen to artists that wouldn’t have come to Mexico.
LT: How did L.A.’s music scene influence you?
CB: I think what happened here is that I met a bunch of musicians that were really incredible. In Mexico I knew the scene and the bands. And once I moved here, I started meeting all kinds of different people that were doing all kinds of different music. So I think in that sense it opened my eyes and my ears to wanting to experiment a bit more. For example, with Alex (Xchange) we connected over the internet and musically we just clicked so I’ve been working with him for years. It’s incredible, definitely giving me more options for people to work with.
LT: What’s different or exciting for you on this album?
CB: I think in a way it’s a bit more mature. I’m not quite sure how to describe it, but I had a clear idea of what I wanted. In the first record, a lot of things were very polished. On this one, I wanted it to be a bit more raw: I wanted to keep some of the mistakes, even from my original demos. Because I like it when people make mistakes.
LT: A few of the songs were inspired by Haruki Murakami’s "Kafka on the Shore." Can you tell me about why you like his work and why it’s important for your music?
CB: There’s such a connection with the characters -- there is a human connection that is very intense. So when it came to writing these three songs, I went to ‘Kafka on the Shore,’ which is one of my favorite books. I felt myself focusing a lot on these three characters, and their stories and what they’re going through. I wanted to try something different and I was able to put myself in the mind of these characters that are part of this incredible novel.
LT: How has your daughter changed your life and your music?
CB: I’m definitely more focused. In the beginning it was a bit of a challenge trying to balance both things, but I feel like I’ve gotten to a point where I can do both. I’m very present with her, but I’m also not letting go of this other part of me that is being a musician. So it’s made me better at managing my time. And it’s also made everything more intense: It makes you hypersensitive to everything that’s surrounding you. She’s always in my mind: It’s made me more aware of the world. It didn’t make me want to write music for her, but it just made me more aware of the world.
LT: What are you looking forward to in the future?
CB: We are trying to focus on getting different shows throughout the years. So we are focusing on getting the live shows running. I also want to start having more of a presence in Mexico and do some more concerts there. In terms of writing, I want to see who I can collaborate with, because I feel like it’s such an enriching experience for me.
LT: What are some of your favorite places in Mexico to travel or play at?
CB: Well to play I would say Mexico city because that’s where I play the most. I used to live down there and I think the audiences are very passionate. Playing in Tijuana is always good for me, I get to see my friends. In terms of visiting, I love Guanajuato and Tulum -- anything in the Caribbean.
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