After the release of his 2007 album La Radiolina, Manu Chao seemingly disappeared from the public eye, leading many to believe he had gone on hiatus.

[1] He traveled with a small group of friends, adopting a minimalist approach to life, focusing on the essentials and maintaining a "pure heart" free of pretension.

David Honigmann of the Financial Times notes that while the album is "a more original set than La Radiolina," it still suffers from the "recycling" of familiar ideas, suggesting a lack of newness compared to Chao's earlier works.

[6] Similarly, Mariano Prunes of AllMusic acknowledges that the album sticks to the same formula, but praises its "warm and engaging" songs that sound "positively inspired and refreshing," offering a welcome return for Chao.

[8] Meanwhile, Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone offered a more mixed view, calling it "a satisfying continuation of his artistic journey," but noting that it lacks the same impact and excitement as Clandestino and Próxima Estación: Esperanza though "has a little more of a singer-songwriter quality than its predecessors.