Clandestino

Clandestino is the debut studio album by French artist Manu Chao, released in 1998. The album contains many soundbites throughout, two of which are bits of a speech by Subcomandante Marcos and, like Chao's subsequent albums, was mostly recorded by the musician himself in various locations around the world, using a small laptop—which is referred to in the liner notes as Estudio Clandestino. The French edition of Rolling Stone magazine named this album the 67th greatest French rock album (out of 100). The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The album was ranked number 469 in Rolling Stones list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020.

== Background == Clandestino emerged from a period of personal and professional upheaval for Manu Chao, following the breakup of his band, Mano Negra, in 1994. Mano Negra had been a pioneering force in the world of punk-infused Latin rock, but after years of internal strife and a chaotic tour across war-torn Colombia, the group disbanded before their 1994 studio album Casa Babylon was even released. The aftermath of this experience left Chao in a fragile state, both personally and professionally.