Diego Mena is releasing his second album titled "Doble Moral" which draws influence from 1980s new wave bands like The Human League and Heaven 17. The album represents a more personal and electronic sound for Mena compared to his previous work. Supervised by keyboardist Barón Valette, "Doble Moral" contains eight tracks that critique Dominican society with optimism through Mena's storytelling and use of irony. The album is scheduled for release in May with a single called "La Culpa" already playing on radio and a national tour planned for summer.

1. Album Release-Diego Mena: “Doble Moral” (Double Morale)
By: José Manuel Taveras
Photography: Holly Reynoso
“I wouldn’t feel complete, If I didn’t do music”
Armed with an emotional synthesizer, electronic percussion, and lots of irony,
Diego Mena is bringing us his second album, titled “Doble Moral”. Inspired by
the new wave of the decade of excess, the eighties, Mena promises to give
us a criticism towards dominican society, with a touch of optimism, in the
tradition of bands like The Human League, Visage, and Heaven 17, which all
seemed happy and energetic, but deep down were really denouncing the
problems of the world.
This new album, supervised by “Retro-Man”, Barón Valette, the master of the
keyboards and a member of the eighties tribute band, “El Circuito” (The
Circuit), represents a different and more personal path, very rooted towards
Diego Mena’s musical influences, and it’s very distinguished from his first
record, “Hey!”. We’ve always been afraid to express something, out of fear,
but this versatile young man has found the perfect way to solve that problem
with this brilliant musical masterpiece, which in essence is defined by his
ruthless attitude.
Talk to us about this new album, what is it about?
“Doble Moral” is a record where I really changed the sound. It’s a record with
more electronic elements, drum machines, and more oriented to the eighties
new wave, but with my way of looking at that musical vibe. It’s a little more
moveable in general, without ever having to step out of rock, which is my
main platform.
How did you get into New Wave?
I’m from the eighties, and I grew up listening to a lot of heavy rock, like Iron
Maiden and Def Leppard, which were both introduced to me by my brother.
He would also listen to a lot of new wave and he got me into it. I enjoy New
Wave and I love that nice retro feeling from the eighties. I wanted to control
that, because it always caught my attention.

2. Which feelings does a Synthesizer bring to you?
The Synthesizer brings to me a lot of feelings, from Nostalgia to Avant Garde,
or anything vanguard related. It’s a very palpable and rich element.
What really inspires Diego Mena to make an album? Is it simply life or
past decades?
The things that I go through in life. I have to analyze a lot of feelings and
that’s the form in which I know how to. I wouldn’t feel complete if I didn’t do
music.
What are the stories or complaints that you like to express in your
music?
I love irony very much, because I can channel a lot throughout jokes, and it’s
reflected in my way of writing. “Doble Moral” is a strong title, but it’s called like
that because, more than a social critique, it’s a human condition that we all
have. In the first single, I talk about guilt, when no one takes responsibility for
anything. Even the initials of “Doble Moral” are the same as Diego Mena’s.
When will the album be released? Do you already have the dates of the
promotion tour, concerts, and the rest?
My record will be released this May. The first single is already playing on the
radio, and it’s called “La Culpa” (The Guilt). It’s the first cut that mostly defines
the musical wave of the record. We’re working to organize, in the summer, a
10 or 15 dates national tour, throughout the complete city and some others in
the country. We’re also talking about going back to Puerto Rico.