Casapalma is the artistic partnership of Spanish musicians Irene Atienza and Yoel Molina. Together, they spearhead a project rooted in the revitalization of canción montañesa, or mountain song, a traditional vocal form specific to Cantabria, in northern Spain. Their debut album, Montañesas, released by the independent label RASO, was recognized by the Iberian Roots Music Chart (LIMÚR) as the best album of the first quarter of 2024.
Drawing from archival recordings, oral histories, and field tapes, Casapalma approaches Cantabrian folk heritage with scholarly rigor and musical innovation. Their work is not a mere act of preservation, but a process of reinterpretation. Atienza and Molina reframe folk material through the lens of contemporary music production, incorporating elements of alternative pop, experimental electronica, and the understated grooves of slow reggaetón. This synthesis allows the duo to re-contextualize traditional songs without stripping them of their regional specificity or emotional core.
Far from nostalgia, Montañesas represents a forward-thinking effort to amplify marginalized musical traditions. The album highlights essential forms of Spanish folklore, such as jotas, picayos, tonadas, marzas, and romances, while drawing parallels with the tambourine-driven sounds of Galician and Asturian music. In doing so, Casapalma places Cantabria firmly within the broader musical continuum of northern Spain, a region too often overlooked in terms of traditional Spanish music.
Genres contained in Montañesas include canciones montañesas, canción de ronda, tonadas montañesas, baile a lo agarrao, jota a lo pesao, jota a lo ligero, baile a lo suelto, jota a lo ligero, and pasodoble.
Montañesas features Irene Atienza on vocals; Yoel Molina on guitar and keyboards; Aurelio Vélez on pandereta (tambourine); Conchi García on pandereta; David López on gaita (bagpipe) and ocarina; Esteban Bolado on rabel; Nacho Soto on keyboards and effects; and Rodrigo Ballesteros on drums.
The group’s name, Casapalma, pays tribute to Atienza’s ancestral home in Cabuérniga, a symbolic gesture that reflects their commitment to locality and lineage. Through their nuanced arrangements and culturally literate production choices, Casapalma has emerged as a key force in the ongoing renewal of Spanish folk music, honoring its past while audaciously shaping its future.
Discography:
Montañesas (Raso, 2023)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.