By José Gandue @Gandour
I don't know if you feel the same way: I really enjoy listening to new productions that, at first glance, I don't expect much from, and then suddenly they absorb me, invite me to listen to them several times, and generate many questions for me., trying to find out how they were made, what elements they are made of, what they are made of. They make me believe that, despite everything, amidst so much repetition, so many formulas chewed and regurgitated thousands of times, among new artists there are still those who aim to break the mold, at least in details, so that when their music plays, it awakens the listener by offering something unexpected. That's what happens to me with the second album by the Argentinian artist. Mariana Michi, Son of champions, a very personal album, Worthy material to recognize what we have experienced in recent times, built with courage, curiosity and personal pleasure. If we were asked to quickly give it a label, we'd say this compilation is part of today's electropop, but at the same time, It's made as if the manual for each instrument had been lost and experimentation had taken over control., Without losing the essence of the song, of course. Furthermore, Michi has a beautiful sense of melody; her vocal contribution is tender yet imbued with her own maturity. She has her own way of captivating and drawing in the audience, who, if I'm not mistaken, must feel grateful for such company. There's funk, disco, folk, dream pop here, but Son of champions It is, especially, a delicate and striking catalog of tunes made by a musician who has been able to narrate her private life and move anyone who can listen to her.
We found Mariana in Buenos Aires, and we were able to have a good conversation via WhatsApp:
Let's start with something basic: What does Mariana Michi sound like lately?
A suburban existential pop. A synthetic, synthesized and synthesizing suburban existential pop that presses the short circuit between the desired and the desiring.
Among all the elements that surprise me about your music, there is one that particularly catches my attention: there is an inclusion of sounds unusual in today's pop, which seem to be taken from postmodern toys…
I like what surprised you. I really enjoy playing with audio; I often manipulate it without knowing where the processes I'm using will lead me. I try to abstract myself from what I know and let my intuition guide me. I use this approach regularly when composing.
The result is genuine and amusing; it resembles my subconscious, what I dream about, and what excites me.
It's noticeable, it feels like an experiment, in which, without losing sight of the concept of "song," there's an intention to say, "Look how I'm going to surprise you with a little sound you weren't expecting"...
Haha, that's not my intention, but I understand it might seem that way. My intention with the music I compose and produce is to process emotions and traumas, to enjoy myself, to travel, to communicate, to step outside of myself. Of course, I also like and enjoy knowing that people are surprised by my sounds, but that's not usually the guiding principle when it comes to working on it. This particular album was made so I could have the music I want to listen to readily available. Like a desire to hear what I wasn't finding outside.
How did you work on this new album?
With my computer and synthesizers, locked in my room/laboratory during the extended quarantine of 2020, I composed and produced simultaneously, taking as my starting point self-imposed (and very arbitrary) guidelines that guided me like a video game. I wanted the process and the album to be similar to playing an adventure video game. There came a point when I needed to open up the process to colleagues. dear ones y admired who also recorded from their homes. I only went to two studios to record or replace some audio, but those were the fewest.
The pandemic, for those who realized it amidst their misfortune, taught us to work more from home, right?
Yes, she taught us a lot, and at the same time I think we didn't learn anything from her.
What do you think we failed to understand about this period?
Are you suggesting we delve into this topic? I haven't reached a final conclusion yet. It's a pendulum-like contradiction. Sometimes I think it was good for us, and at other times I see everything functioning as it did before the pandemic.
But still, without trying to sound optimistic (nothing could be further from my intention), you've created a very unique album, very different from what pop generally offers today…
Thanks. I'm happy with how the album turned out and how well it's been received. It's different, but luckily I think the joke and the misfortune were understood, haha. I enjoy making and listening to songs; I wouldn't go for something weird just for the sake of it. It got weird but accessible, and I liked it, haha.
What musical influences do you recognize at this moment?
Air, 8 (Juan Belvis), Grimes, The Knife, Nana Adjoa, Damon Albarn, Beck, Angele, Juana Molina, King Crimson, B52, Junun, Mawaca.
What are you singing about on this new album?
On family ties and on desire.
What topics to discuss in the midst of a pandemic…
Haha yes, the quarantine gave me time to delve deeper into those topics that had been riddles for years.
I don't know what personal results you obtained, but there are songs that the audience (or at least I) are grateful to have heard at the right moment…
Many personal results. Above all, I found some answers for myself and I feel that I evolved in my musical practice and emotionally as well, why not say it.
What are your short and medium-term plans?
Playing the album with the incredible band that accompanies me. Making a new audiovisual like the one I made during quarantine (The Forced Peace). To travel as much as possible, taking this music everywhere.