Athletic Bihotzez, his twelfth album, is a profound tribute to the team he has followed since childhood. As usual, Kepa signs the record with the phrases: “Aupa Maurizia! Aupa Athletic!”. Alongside the CD, the edition includes a DVD and a book with scores and interviews featuring several of the 600 participants involved in this ambitious project.

The musical work features his then-current band: Kike Mora, Kepa Calvo, Dani Tomás, the txalapartari duo Etxak (Ion Garmendia and Iñaki Plaza), and David Nanclares, along with programming by Unai Mimenza and Asier Ercilla. The lyrics were written by writers Kirmen Uribe and Edorta Jiménez, singers Tontxu Ipiña, Mikel Bizar (Idi Bihotz) and Francis Díez (Doctor Deseo), the Biscayan bertsolaris Xabier Amuriza and Igor Elortza, and the Gipuzkoan Anjel Mari Peñagarikano, a devoted Athletic supporter from Albistur, with the final name on the list being Berber artist Mustapha Agarban.

Iñaki Plaza recalls that, after the changes introduced in the live recording format, this project returned to a studio recording dynamic, with many arrangements made directly in the room and designed specifically for the club’s supporters. The opening track, “Harrobiaz harro”, awarded Best Basque-language Song in 2004 by the Music Academy, features a choir of footballers from all categories. “Mila kilometrotara atzetik” brings together voices such as John Jones (The Oyster Band), Aitor Gorosabel (Su Ta Gar), Alex Sardui (Gatibu), Iñaki Ortiz de Villalba (Betagarri), Eñaut Elorrieta (Ken Zazpi), Brigi Duque (Koma) and Mikel Barba (Idi Bihotz), among others.

The street energy comes through Francis Díez in “Chulos hasta pa perder”, Galician tradition appears via the bagpipes of Tejedor and the voices of Faltriqueira, and the album closes with the stadium chant “Aurrera aurrera Athletic”, with lyrics by Tontxu. Kepa aims to transmit the values of the club through songs with direct choruses, easily adopted by San Mamés supporters. The project blends languages including Euskera, Spanish, Catalan, English, French, Berber, Galician and Guanche. Recording took place at Balea Studios in Arantzazu, in the Arratia valley, with technical support and programming by Asier Ercilla and Unai Mimenza. Kepa expresses special gratitude to his parents “for instilling in me a love for music and for Athletic”.

Record label: Balea Musika Ideiak. Production: Kepa Junkera.