As both a solo artist and, previously, with the band Mano Negra, Manu Chao was a crucial figure in the popularization of worldbeat, a catchall genre that blends various global sounds with Western pop-rock sensibilities. The one-time Parisian busker made multi-lingual music with easy-going Latin rhythms, earnest positivity, and plenty of crossover appeal. Now, at age 63, Chao returns to prove he’s still motivated, still inventive, still a man of the people.

Viva Tu—remarkably, Chao’s first album in 17 years—is said to be inspired by people he’s come across on his many travels. It’s a concept that doubles down on the cultural exchange that flows through Chao’s music; at different times, he sings in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and English. And while there’s nothing as intensely political as “Bloody Border,” a startling song released in 2019 about the Arizona migrant camps, Viva Tu is a real attempt to spotlight the remarkable within the everyday.