PREMIERE | Loco Tranquilo, "Summer Rain"

Soaking in the light of summer with Loco Tranquilo, aka Julián Gervasi; press photo courtesy of the artist.

The solstice of sun and rejuvenation in San Francisco is a very special season. A chance for self discovery, a chance for realizations, reckonings, a chance to rekindle the flickering sparks of affection that exist from within and a chance to share that fire with a special somebody. Bay Area summers are beset with everything from dramatic sunsets, gentle breezes, mystic fog (a vapor dubbed Karl by the local denizens), extended sessions of warm solar radiance to evening cycles of sweet precipitation brought by cloud carriers of natural renewal. And even with all the summer of love catch phrases and wildly misattributed quotes pertaining to the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco — none of this even begins to encapsulate the beauty and joy that abounds within the 7 x 7 square miles during mid-year months of unlimited enchantment and amour.

Embodying this spirit is local rising artist Loco Tranquilo, a newcomer to the Text Me Records family who shares a first look at the Vanessa Pla-directed visual for “Summer Rain”. Otherwise known as Julián Gervasi, the song is a collaboration with Mackenzie Bunch that was developed during the lockdown days of quarantine that accentuates the inherent bliss that exists in the here and now of life. Initially debuted in the city at Bottom of the Hill and The Chapel during opening performances for Holy Wave and Ana Tijoux respectively, Julián prefaced the inspirations behind the song with the following reflections:

["Summer Rain" is] the story of a wary lover who grows and gives into the depths of love. I hope it inspires listeners to never give up on love, even during hard times.

Vanessa Pla’s video for “Summer Rain” follows Emma Sinclair Pratt and Julián Gervasi and their excursions about the Mission with the mystique of Bernal Hill standing tall in the background. The late 60s pastoral folk sensibilities are mixed with subtle psych pop tone inflections that give the track a warm, effervescent and sincere tone that encompasses the aura of true love. In both the rustic sound accompanied by the candid visuals; both the audio and visuals take on a timeless quality. Julián’s ode to finding romance sounds as fresh and new today as it could have in literally any other era — past, present or future. “Summer Rain” is about opening yourself up to an outpouring of benevolent nature. “Summer Rain” basks in the mesmerizing glow of how wonderful our reality can be (while opening the door to new realities of grandeur and bliss that you never thought were even possible). Loco Tranquilo has blessed the world with one of the most gorgeous songs to commemorate the summer of 2022. A song that embraces healing and a degree of self-actualization that our world desperately needs now, more than ever before. The sun-kissed, morning dew christened anthem to inspire new degrees of carpe diem and higher levels of learning and loving has valiantly arrived (and not a moment later or sooner).

Julián Gervasi, aka Loco Tranquil, provided some exclusive insights on the inspiration behind the new romantic ballad:

"Summer Rain” was inspired by love. Particularly the fleeting feeling that comes with summer in San Francisco; when it’s raining but summer is still felt in the air and when it's warm yet overcast. These opposing natures inspired [the song’s] complexity and nuance — telling the story of myself as a mysterious, cautious lover who also has immense passion. “Summer Rain” has a vintage, radio like quality, with vocals that sound like they’re reverberating through a telephone to the listener. This vintage style is also portrayed in the music video for “Summer Rain”, intentionally shot on 35mm film to bring out this quality. The music video was a project that allowed me to expand upon my theatrical creativity whilst weaving in themes from the song.

I’m particularly proud that the music video maintains the songs nuance by showcasing the contrast between opposing elements- summer and rain. By using fun props such as an old glass pitcher used to water a plant and a carnival style mask to cover my face, the music video inspires both personal growth whilst I maintain a sense of mysteriousness. I’m grateful we were able to capture scenic shots of San Francisco (the Mission and Bernal) throughout the clip as I drew great inspirations from these areas when writing “Summer Rain”. The song remains true to my indie-pop style yet with a slower and more sentimental pace. To romanticize this tempo throughout the video, I had my lovely wife slow dancing by my side. I hope “Summer Rain” brings you as much joy as the joy I had when writing it.

Loco Tranquilo’s “Summer Rain” is available now everywhere. Read our long form feature on the entire Text Me Records family.