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“It’s going to break your heart.”

“For two months, I couldn't write, then it just clicked out of nowhere,” Pedro Tovar tells Apple Music about Eslabon Armado’s latest album. Following the back-to-back successes of Tu Veneno Mortal and Vibras de Noche, conjuring up a third album in the same year was no small feat for the leader of the hugely popular regional Mexican project. Thankfully, when the inspiration came, it produced a flood of new material. As such, Corta Venas spans two dozen songs over more than an hour and a half of running time. A number of its tracks, including the emotionally resonant “Ando Más Que Mal,” were initially previewed via social media, where Tovar’s fans could react in real time. One such session yielded the album title itself. “Basically what it means is it's going to be hard,” he says of its meaning. “It’s going to break your heart, cut your veins.” Learn more about some of his favourite songs from Corta Venas below, in his own words.

Ando Más Que Mal
“After Vibras de Noche, I didn't write anything for months. In September, I wrote this little song. It came out of nowhere. Basically, this song gave me motivation, because I had an experience with this girl and it didn't turn out. I just came home, I wrote the song. I went live, and then people started liking it and liking it. And then, it went viral just like 'Dame Tu Calor' on Vibras de Noche. I'm basically the guy in the song who has experienced all these sad, sad things.”

Jugaste y Sufrí
“That song was written by DannyLux. He's a young kid that I met through Instagram. He showed me some songs and there was just one, that's 'Jugaste y Sufrí.' I liked it a lot because it reminds me of '24 Horas' but it has a different rhythm. This song just came naturally. Honestly, he's a badass kid. He's 16. Honestly, in my opinion, he's probably coming up next. This kid has a lot of freaking potential and his lyrics are clean and sound is clean.”

Mi Historia Entre Tus Dedos
“This song is actually a cover. It's by Gianluca Grignani. My dad would always dedicate this song to my mom, when they were in Mexico, they were in love in their teenage years. When I was young, I would always go to work with my dad, and he would always put on the song. I started to make the song mine, basically just do it my own way. I recorded it in my little studio. I was like, 'Damn, this song is hard and what he says is meaningful. Now I know why my dad dedicated this song to my mom.' I never actually paid attention to it and wanted to play it until two months ago.”

¿Dime Por Qué?
“This was probably one of the last songs I wrote for the album. I just vibed with it in my room with my guitar one day. I decided to put a preview online, and people actually liked it. It's a sad-ass song. Basically, it says in the title, 'Tell me why. Tell me why you're not with me.' I decided to put two electric guitars instead of two acoustic guitars, because the group is usually known for the guitars.”

Me Matas
“I decided to not put out an album of purely depressing songs. There are some love songs, a couple, and then there's this. Basically, the song is about a guy getting at a girl, but the girl has someone else. But the girl likes the guy and they secretly get together at times at night. They just do their thing. I think it's relatable to anyone because it gives you that night vibe, that you can be with someone and just chill with them and do whatever you want. Basically, the song is an explicit song, you could say. It gives you little hints with what the lyrics say.”

Soy Tóxico
“I was trying to get in other people's heads, another mindset. This song is about a toxic relationship, where the couple, they're very freaking toxic. They don't want either the girl or guy to have any friends or anything. I'm pretty sure everyone will relate to the song. I find it very catchy.”

© Apple Music