| | Full Review | Ratings (286) |
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| 4.5 superb | Alabaster Jones | April 9th 17 |
It's weird; an album could be self-titled for any reason. Usually, it's the band's first record, and sometimes they couldn't come up with a good one in the first place. However, a lot of albums are self-titled because the artist is, in effect, saying: "This music is the truest representation of me and my thoughts and experiences". That's definitely why I feel Arca is self-titled. However alien and uncompromising his past efforts were, there's a sense of intimacy and humanity in this one, spurred on not only by his surprisingly lovely voice, but the themes of the album (struggling with being a gay man in an oppressive homophobic environment). It's less glitchy and less industrial, but more personal, and just as disturbing. Things take an art pop direction in several songs including the opening tandem of "Piel" and "Anoche", but it works, and awfully well to boot. To put it simply, though it's not as layered as Mutant nor as downright horrifying as Entranas, Arca is a winner, and possibly Arca's finest moment, because it has the one thing the others don't: an intimate, beautifully human sound.
4 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.8 excellent | Erwann S. STAFF | December 8th 21 |
Much more ambient-laden than her previous albums/mixtapes, this s/t also features Arca's own vocals. It's thus overall less in-yo-face, but the artsy framework works well with this overall more vulnerable material. It's much less alien, much more human. On par with &&&&&.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | cjbizzlebizzle | June 7th 17 |
Dark, abstract, atmospheric, surreal and rather melancholic and emotional glitchy art pop. Through the vocals, it is extremely obvious that the passion Arca has for his work and the music and underlying sounds are interesting and sometimes otherworldly; the approach is certainly not standard. The sonic elements, both vocals and music, are interesting and used to create a unique, cold atmosphere but in the end this self-titled release just feels like it has almost no sense of direction. Many of the tracks just meander along, wandering into the void with similar synthy musical backdrops and Arca's intense vocals trudging along. When Arca does turn up the rhythms and crackling beats, things get more focused but that foothold is only in place momentarily before wandering back into the black hole without navigation. It is clear that Arca has a passion for this art but here things feel a bit lost despite the creation of a truly memorable atmosphere and overall sound. Those whips sure sound awesome though.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | TheManMachine | May 17th 17 |
Compelling to hear how provocative electro mutant Alejandro Ghersi evolves/devolves over time, this one being on-the-cusp imperative no doubt: the self-titled stamp hints at it and the induction of vox alone change the Arca game. That Bjork work stuck with him, seemingly -- not only is there this new transparence of having a bold+tender weeper-composer arise from the shadows, but also a far more restrained/refined/dare I say poppier palette to match. Not to say it ain't still an aimless-n-alien tangle or that weep can't peeve, 'tis and it can. With respect to the new direction, I kinda miss the spastic violence of releases past. May be why I like when he whips out the whips on "Whip"; followed by "Desafio", the kind of driven pop-transition perfection I wish were more prevalent here.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | FlipTrackz | April 13th 17 |
I've always found Arca's albums to be beautiful in the most horrifying way possible but this is
the first album of his where the beauty is perfectly on display. "Fugaces" is what sold me. This
is his best work yet.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | FunJan | March 1st 23 |
| 3.5 great | Timmy | January 21st 23 |
| 5.0 classic | ahig | November 1st 22 |
| 3.5 great | qwe3 | August 30th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | emmny | December 6th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Brabiz | December 1st 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | iGuter | October 27th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | TMTrates | February 24th 21 |
| 1.0 awful | gschwen | December 29th 20 |
| 3.0 good | Jrzg85 | December 12th 20 |
| 3.5 great | zschab | September 22nd 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Chili | June 25th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Sowing STAFF | June 14th 20 |
| 2.0 poor | Pon EMERITUS | April 30th 20 |
| 3.0 good | spur55 | April 16th 20 |
| 2.5 average | Prole | March 21st 20 |
| 3.0 good | 2ool | February 21st 20 |
| 2.5 average | drood1 | November 13th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | CPCP | November 6th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Codah | March 25th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | luci | December 27th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Teo | December 5th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | alamo | November 22nd 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | FelkFg | August 8th 18 |
| 2.5 average | Ryus | August 6th 18 |
| 3.5 great | kloo | June 28th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | Jadiel | June 20th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | iglu | June 12th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Juca89 | May 5th 18 |
| 3.0 good | A.R.O. STAFF | April 18th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | Gueero | February 9th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | Filas | January 19th 18 |
| 3.5 great | kevbogz | December 30th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Hanusko | December 23rd 17 |
| 3.5 great | Ewgads | December 22nd 17 |
| 4.5 superb | verypsb | December 16th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Verlix | December 13th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Sithese | December 13th 17 |
| 3.0 good | Rdv | December 3rd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | dbizzles | November 27th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Kefka | November 12th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | sr388 | September 27th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | gilly | September 24th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Passos | September 9th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | YayoG1 | September 2nd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | KevinMM | August 25th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | bentl | July 31st 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jan555 | July 23rd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Miguee7 | July 11th 17 |
| 3.5 great | bharry | June 28th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Alexxx | June 24th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | lilv | May 28th 17 |
| 3.5 great | tyler | May 26th 17 |
| 2.5 average | Yotimi | May 10th 17 |
| 2.5 average | Skoj | May 1st 17 |
| 4.5 superb | JJKeys | April 23rd 17 |
| 3.5 great | Trebor. EMERITUS | April 22nd 17 |
| 3.0 good | Risodo | April 22nd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | PaabL | April 19th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | elch21 | April 19th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Jade | April 19th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rail | April 19th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | maddin | April 18th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Simon K. STAFF | April 17th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Brackit | April 17th 17 |
| 2.5 average | Smelty | April 16th 17 |
| 2.5 average | Wolfe | April 15th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | robin | April 14th 17 |
| 3.5 great | ZBJE | April 13th 17 |
| 3.5 great | NBA | April 13th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Amry | April 13th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Zeta | April 13th 17 |
| 3.5 great | TwigTW | April 9th 17 |
| 3.5 great | aiioli | April 9th 17 |
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