Review Summary: In this body, I’m not alone
When words and linguistic barriers elude the listener, the music's duty is to do the heavy lifting: invite us in for [x minutes] of this common language that we can get behind. Good art is not only about the things that you say, but also about the things the musicianship itself reveals and non-English records have to work harder in order to get their messages across since listeners have fewer immediate points of entry. But good art does transcend said barriers:
in this body being the most recent entry into this canon. A half-English, half-Spanish blend of jazz fusion, Mexican bolero, funk and retro soul seems like an unlikely proposition for mainstream ears, yet Ariella Granados (who works under the Sparklmami moniker) fills its sparse lyrics with such vivid instrumentation that the language becomes almost secondary. Courtesy of an array of collaborators, the combined effect of percussion, keyboards, bass and saxophone keeps a loose jazz feel to the record that nods as much to '70s funk as to Latin soul; whether the cuts are playful ('no te vayas', 'fajas') or dreamy ('running', 'quisiera'), there's undeniable musicianship and love for the craft and the genres it tackles. At a lean 24-minute length, this is less of an album and more of a taste of what's to come; particularly as
in this body's slower-paced parting moments aren’t as enticing and bring the joyful energy to a halt. But it's a beautifully-made record and it brims with an intimacy that is readily apparent from Granados' ethereal voice—even if her words can't be comprehended.
