With 15 instrumental tracks peppered with everything from orchestral melodies to dark glitches one wouldn’t expect Xen to be nearly as solid as it is but it’s easily a contender for best electronic album of the year. Arca a 24-year-old producer has some serious talent and some top artists are taking note for good reason.
It comes as no surprise that he’s done production with Björk FKA Twigs and Kanye West. Arca’s innovative sound works for these artists’ styles so perfectly and his own debut album takes this work even further showing off an astounding spectrum of creativity.
He was born alongside IDM and his music seems undeniably influenced by those early glitch-obsessed artists like Autechre and Kid 606. The sounds are otherworldly all instrumental and predominately dark but all so different. Tracks range from being downright orchestral as though belonging at the climax of a contemporary ballet to experimental meanderings to dense torturous melodies. Arca has stamped his signature contemplativeness on it all.
While bearing resemblance to what has gone before Arca is still supremely innovative and interesting in his own right. Xen is a remarkable piece of work sprawling over so many musical architectures it’s worthy of several listens.
