Son

Argentinean singer Molina was introduced to the American public with the release of her second album, "Segundo". A mixture of acoustic guitars, traditional percussion touches, electronic textures, and her disarming vocals make it one of the most evocative and original albums in recent memory. NPR's "All Things Considered" praised her, as did Entertainment Weekly when it named "Segundo" "Best World Music Album of 2003". "Sounds like Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier covering Nick Drake, whispering luminous folk tunes amid electronic thickets while acoustic guitars and pianos flicker like votive candles" ¿ Entertainment Weekly. 2004's follow-up, "Tres Cosas" was equally revered, as Jon Pareles of the NY Times named it a top ten record of the year, and it won even more fans as diverse as Savath & Savalas, David Byrne, Belle And Sebastian, and Sam Prekop. This is her first new material in over two years and is the first of her albums to be released simultaneously around the world, which should heighten the album's impact.

If you're not accustomed to Juana Molina's otherworldly, electro-folk musings, be patient. The Argentinean singer's artful approach to music may initially be off-putting to listeners who like their world music bright and bubbly, simple and shiny. Molina's Son is relatively straightforward in its lyrical approach (love, life, loss), but her musicality is complex, confusing, and often wondrous. Hushed melodies slither in and out of songs; looped choruses collide against animal sounds, and light percussive rhythms waver in and out of everything. It's an often-astounding assemblage of sounds, most created by Molina herself. "Yo No" is notable for what sounds like a barely-there, background beat-box; and "Un Beso Llega" segues from a lovely folk rumination into a chorus of meowing cats before snapping back again. "Malherido," one of the disc's most direct moments, purrs like a motorcycle that never takes off, perched on the edge of a musical cliff. This is heady stuff, but it never comes off as pretentious or forced. Molina's framework is calm and confident, which makes the experience all the more richer. --Joey Guerra