![]() ![]() Villalta is a deeply intuitive artist his aesthetic is so strong that nothing in his world, no matter how outlandish, seems out of place. What does all the symbolism, imagery, distorted lyrics and cryptic titles mean? Whilst there is often no literal correlation between the words, images and music, there is a much more instinctual relationship between these seemingly unrelated elements. So much of Villalta's work is shrouded in mystery. TMTOIYIOXOIYIOTMT's Elephant" to the schizophrenic conversation with the "Wise One" to the down right hilarious "Can I Meet Your Sister." Some of the other many highlights on the album include his playful tribute to rapper Kayne West "Kanye Said" or the abstract, semi-autobiographical "1990-2014." Perhaps the centrepiece of the album however, is the beautifully melancholic "Daily." Far from your typical singer-songwriter piece, his distinctively obscured vocals are coloured by densely layered synth and guitar counter melodies. ![]() The mood of the album ranges from the inviting opener "Leaving your body" to the menacing, phantasmic "Stars and Things" to the intricate, labour-inducing "Diana, Quick Deliver this Baby." The lyrics cover an equally large spectrum from absurdist stream of consciousness "Sir. In his hands, his acoustically mic'd hollow body guitar sounds like a six-string sitar. His strangely beautiful melodies, characterised by his distinctive approach to articulation and ornamentation, are reminiscent of Indian classical music. Villalta offers his unique perspective on: up-tempo swing ("Click On The URL"), beat box/ rapping ("Can I Meet Your Sister"), Merengue ("Diana, Deliver This Baby") and Prog-rock ("Marvin Town") amongst many others in this melting pot of musical influence. Instead his influences are drawn from far further afield and appropriated in a way that renders them almost unrecognisable. Although Villalta might find himself being herded under the banner of 'avant-garde electronic producer,' his work bears little resemblance to that of other musicians within his chosen medium. Rather, it is the synthesis and extension of many varied musical traditions. ![]() Whilst Villalta flaunts almost every conventional notion pertaining to style or song form, his music is far from devoid of historical context. Through the amalgamation of these two previously distinct worlds Villalta exhibits an even more highly evolved and personal voice on his follow up album. ![]() Villalta's 2013 solo debut, Pregdalia, introduced us to his musical domain playful and often highly successful experimentations into synth-driven electronic music alongside virtuosic solo guitar playing framed within his idiosyncratic compositional aesthetic. The result of which is an album that is inescapably linked to our particular moment in time. Marcos Eduardo Villalta's music however, reveals to us an artist who has the rare capacity to utilise all that is at his disposal in a creative and honest manner. This kind of freedom can be creatively paralysing for some while others may respond by narrowing their gaze. We live in a world in which anyone who has a laptop has access to an almost infinite array of sonic possibilities and can draw inspiration from any corner of the earth or pocket in time. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |