By José Gandue @spinning zone
I am becoming more and more convinced of something every day: The labels we have been using to describe contemporary music have become outdated, limited, and irrelevant. These are increasingly useless tricks that we journalists and commentators use to save ourselves from the significance of what this or that artist does anywhere in the world. Moreover, musicians who simply accept the strict rules of a particular genre will soon be largely ignored due to their narrow-mindedness and lack of action. Luckily, there are examples like Antonia Navarro, which we listen to, more on her latest album, Insane and safe, And it took us a while to label it, since their songs have a little bit of everything: Folk, Pop, Rock, Shoegaze, etc. However, the work is always coherent, and, of course, extremely moving.
This Chilean woman, resident in the city of La Plata, Argentina, since 2015, He describes his recent publication as «"An intimate and divine treasure chest that I have opened to gather and display a flag that goes far beyond geography. A bold identity, founded on the perpetual march of our dreams, memories, grief and rage, but at the same time an emblem of warm nostalgia and undeniable new paths.".
Her work is introspective, fueled by a sonic mix with notable reverberations, and her singing addresses themes such as fear, communication, and loneliness. As she herself states, «It was hard for me to leave, it was hard for me to look into their eyes again, it was hard for me to understand the rules again. Inside me there was a memory that seemed obvious and so I treasured it. The lucid form of solitude made me speak again of everything I had taken for granted.“.
After listening to and repeatedly listening to the seven songs that make up this production, we were able to contact her via Whatsapp to learn more details about her life:
How did a Chilean artist end up in La Plata?
I came to La Plata almost 8 years ago. I first lived in Buenos Aires for two years, and people there recommended I come visit. As soon as I arrived, I loved its way of life and culture, and I decided to stay.
For me, it's the most rockin' city on the continent…
For me, it is too. It has a mystique.
How would you define your sound?
And I don't know, I make songs. I'm not sure if I could define my sound.
What have others told you about it?
They talk a lot about the lyrics. And about the sound, they say it's dreamy or ethereal.
An interesting use of reverberation…
Yes, that was true on previous albums too. On this new one, everything is much cleaner or drier.
At times, trying to find useless labels like we journalists do, I managed to define your music as "romantic pop shoegaze," please forgive me for that in advance, hehe
Hahaha, look! Why romantic?
I told you to forgive me… maybe I'm the one who feels romantic on my end.
Okay hehe
What was the process of creating this new album like?
We recorded it during the pandemic, first the basic track, then we added the synths and guitars, and finally the vocals. It went from being demos, to rehearsing in a room, going to the studio to record, and then post-production.
And how did you keep it in the drawer for so long?
It never ended up in a drawer; it was a long process. I managed my anxiety and stopped thinking that someone was expecting something from me. And I worked, enjoying the process as it deserves.
I liked it; it's a solid and innovative sound. I was particularly drawn to the complementary sounds; they give the whole piece a distinctive character.
That's lovely. Thank you so much, the idea is for it to be a trip.
What kind of journey do you want the audience to have?
Whichever the audience prefers, of course. Enjoying the music, which is something we all love.
What musical influences do you have these days?
A little bit of everything. Mgmt, Blur, Deerhunter, The Cardigan.
And what about the locals?
Santiago Santiago, Emiliano Augusto, Sofi Uzal, Fraxu, Dolphins trained to kill.
And what about Chile?
Frucola Frappe, Javiera Mena, Los Prisioneros, Ases Falsos.
What comes next?
For now, we're planning the album launches, some videos too, and, if all goes well, a great tour.
Latin America?
Some places, I'm going little by little hehe