Arca | Time (single) | XL Recordings
Release Date: 29 May, 2020
Album Release Date: 26 June, 2020
When it comes to Arca’s sound: there’s an interesting juxtaposition of never really knowing what to expect with each release, as she is always willing to dive into new realms of genre, experimenting with a virtuoso-esque prowess, passion and diligence. However at the same time what we do know for sure, is that Arca is always likely to surprise and delight us with her work, as it will undoubtedly be unlike anything we have heard before.
In short – her work is never predictable, but we can predict it will never be predictable, in the best way possible.
The multifaceted Venezuelan-born, Barcelona-based producer, performance artist, musician and DJ earned her stars quickly following the release of her debut EP under her moniker Arca in 2012, and subsequently went on to work with stars such as Kanye West and FKA Twigs, along with co-producing Bjork’s 8th LP ‘Vernicular’.
Arca has made tidal waves in the industry in such a seemingly short space of time, and with her skill and eclectic approach to music creation and production, along with the heavy incorporation of conceptual themes with her performance art and forever intriguing overall aesthetic, it’s no surprise. The release of her second single ‘Time’ comes in light of her upcoming fourth album ‘KiCk i’, which is scheduled for release on June 26th; featuring the likes of fellow subversive artists such as Björk, SOPHIE, Shygirl and Rosalía.
On top of this, Arca and Shygirl have just released a new single together entitled ‘unconditional’ that is available exclusively on bandcamp, with all proceeds going toward Black Lives Matter and Inquest UK.
We will link the brand new track ‘unconditional‘ below our review of ‘Time‘ as a bonus, along with a statement by London-born DJ and vocalist Shygirl herself.
‘Time‘ is soaked in the prismatic glitter of neon-drenched lights; highly saturated, striking synthesizers dance in a sensual psychedelic swirl, the introduction a polychromatic, steadily building heartbeat in a bewitching, provocative aura of rich anticipation.
Arca’s echoic vocals are voluptuous in a realm luxurious with the cinematic use of sparkling reverb and delay, the layers of electronic textures sculpting a lavish atmospheric soundscape hypnotic in nature. While minimalistic in structure, the production and composition of the track is so skilled and proficient, the simplicity of ‘Time’ manages to retain a dazzling aura of drama, with the artist’s powerful visual aesthetic notably working in tandem with the distinct sounds she produces.
Following ‘Time‘, comes Arca’s most recent collaboration with Shygirl, along with an excerpt from a statement Shygirl shared regarding ‘unconditional‘:
Protesting reminded me that I wasn’t alone. The possibility that others might feel the way I do, even in the slightest, made me want to speak up and reach out, to provide something. I find both solace and power in music, so it’s in this that I have a resource to share. With the aim to build emotional strength and connections in this time of awakening, reflection and protest… I wrote the lyrics to this song a while ago, originally thinking of love, family, betrayal and ultimately strength in adversity. It was only this week that I thought of this song again with everything going on. The emotion of the song still rang true but this time in a wider way, a bigger family, a deeper betrayal, a greater need for love.
Shygirl
Read more, Stream & Donate via her Bandcamp
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Feature Image: Arca by Luke Gilford
