“Alturas de Macchu Picchu” is a studio album by the legendary Chilean rock band Los Jaivas, originally released in October 1981

During Record Store Day this April (2025), it was re-released, and I just picked up a copy

On our recent trip to Chile and Easter Island 🗿, our final two nights were spent in Valparaíso, a city bursting with colour, creativity, and sound

We even took part in a street art course

Valparaíso is also the hometown of Los Jaivas, often described by locals as the Chilean “Pink Floyd” or “Jethro Tull.”

One of my favourite moments was chatting with a street artist about murals and prog rock at the same time, he’d spent six years living in the Bronx and had a deep appreciation for both

The Chileans take great pride in the fact that Los Jaivas performed live at Machu Picchu, something even Pink Floyd were denied (hence why they filmed Live at Pompeii instead)

I stumbled upon a copy of Alturas de Macchu Picchu in a Valparaíso record shop, priced at 70,000 Chilean pesos (£56.34), a bit steep, I thought at the time

But when I got home, I discovered that was actually a bargain compared to prices elsewhere

Conclusion:
Sometimes music finds you in the perfect place

Standing in Valparaíso, surrounded by murals, mountains, and melodies, discovering Alturas de Macchu Picchu felt less like buying a record and more like uncovering a piece of Chilean soul