On
kick iiii
,
Arca
peels away the musical and emotional armor of the Kick project's previous volumes to reveal one of her most consistently beautiful works.
Alejandra Ghersi
's music has always had a vulnerable side -- particularly on 2017's masterpiece
-- but this is the first time she's let down her guard so completely. Over the course of the album,
Ghersi
reclaims and celebrates the strange feminine, whether she's taking the plunge "to encounter the unknown" on "Whoresong" or setting a mood of independent sensuality on "Xenomorphgirl," which with its combination of rapturous tones and brash beats, immediately makes itself known as one of the project's signature tracks. Though
looks inward with "Boquifloja"'s cocoon of hazy guitar and vocals, the album's numerous collaborations make it one of the project's more outward-reaching volumes. Producer/cellist
Oliver Coates
contributes a majestic arrangement to the blossoming "Esuna," while
Shirley Manson
appears as an icon of steely strength on "Alien Inside," beckoning
to find courage over a blaze of post-rock riffs.
's feeling of connection between the inside and outside extends to its continuation of the emotional journey
began with
KiCk i
. Her use of processed vocals here creates an entirely different effect than it did on
KicK iii
; on "Altar"'s digital choir and "Queer," a neon-lit duet with
Planningtorock
, there's an alien tenderness that complements the previous album's robotic toughness perfectly.
even reaches back to
with "Hija"'s operatic flourishes and "Lost Woman Found," a poignant triumph over inner turmoil that is every bit as moving as when
first added her voice to her music. Though combining contrasting elements in her music is usually one of her greatest strengths, hearing
concentrate on
's hyperreal sensuality and vulnerability makes it a crucial part of the Kick anthology. ~ Heather Phares