Since Björk, FKA Twigs and other pre-pop stars have called on her immense production talent, transgender artist Alejandra Ghersi has proved to be one of the great revelations of electronic music. One can swoon over Arca’s world, over her explosive proposals, rhythmic refinement by way of the latest technologies, magnificent superimpositions of synthetic textures, and very tender moments. Prone to violent disturbances, her sonic discourse does not exclude grace, voluptuousness, or unconcealed vulnerability. Thus, over the course of four albums including the one in question here, one could sense Alejandra’s intimate struggles, observe the progressive assumption of a multi-gendered identity – Arca defines herself as both female and gay, given her sexual preference for men. Of Venezuelan origin, raised partly in the USA, now living in Barcelona after a stay in the U.K., she now presents KiCk i, certainly the most pop of her recordings, well outside the expectations of an audience accustomed to her more radical music. She subtly recycles the frenetic sequences that are her secret reciper; her electroacoustic explosions become the ornaments of a more welcoming work. Thus, her previous discoveries contribute to magnifying authentic melodic hooks and more pop constructions, even reggaeton. The songs are sung in Spanish and English, with prestigious guests such as Björk, Rosalia, Sophie, and Shygirl, making notable appearances in turn. By completing this transition of identity, spectacular to say the least, as clearly illustrated by the cover of KiCk i and “Nonbinary”, the first song on the program, could Arca finally return to her “natural” territory, with one foot in creative pop and the other in deep digs into electronic music? It’s better not to answer this question, and let time reveal what comes next.
Latest 360 Content
Concert review Gnawa/Psychedelia
Nuits d’Afrique: Bab L’ Bluz Summons The Desert
By Stephan Boissonneault
Interview Gnawa
Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | Saïd Mesnaoui: Gnawa Fusion at the Heart of a Radiant Artist
By Frédéric Cardin
Interview Classical/classique/Sacred Music
Festival de Lanaudière | Paulus & Elias: Mendelssohn’s oratorios presented by Akamus
By Alexandre Villemaire
Interview Africa
Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | Sousou and Maher Cissoko: love, through the kora and by the kora
By Frédéric Cardin
Concert review Africa/afro-pop
Festival Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | Sahad: The star of Dakar Shines on Balattou
By Frédéric Cardin
Interview Africa/Soul/R&B/Jazz
Nuits d’Afrique | Femi Kuti & The Positive Force Live!
By Keithy Antoine
Interview Africa/Soul/R&B
Nuits d’Afrique | Manamba Kanté and Soul Bang’s, Guinea’s “Beyoncé and Jay-Z
By Sandra Gasana
Interview afro-pop
Nuits d’Afrique | Sahad: Decolonising music, spirits and the land
By Frédéric Cardin
Interview classique/Jazz
Cammac music camp : where professionals and passionate amateurs meet through music
By Frédéric Cardin
Interview Africa
Nuits d’Afrique | Zal Sissokho and Toumany Kouyaté, a Kora Highlight
By Keithy Antoine
Interview Caribbean
Nuits d’Afrique | Wesli, One Foot in Haiti, One Foot in Canada
By Keithy Antoine
Interview Spoken Word
Nuits d’Afrique | Fabrice Koffy and His Slam, in Full Band Mode
By Keithy Antoine
Concert review Africa/Pop/Folk/Americana
Nuits d’Afrique | Daby Touré Restarts His Machine
By Alain Brunet
Concert review Hip Hop/Jazz
Nuits d’Afrique | Stogie T, South African Rainbow, Hip-Hop, Soul, Rock, Jazz
By Michel Labrecque
Interview Classical/classique
Festival de Lanaudière | Chanticleer : To Polyphony And Beyond
By Alexandre Villemaire
Interview Classical/classique
Festival de Lanaudière | Collectif9 : contemporary music through groove and folk
By Frédéric Cardin
Concert review Caribbean/Reggae/Pop