By José Gandue @spinning zone

Let's get serious: Today's male pop music, in any of its forms, with notable exceptions that are not relevant to mention, It's boring, limited, sexist, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. And in this category I specifically include reggaeton, in which the performer competes with others to see who has the longest of any of their body parts, including their genitals and vocal cords. But, incredibly, when we cross the street and listen to women, we see and hear many interesting changes. On that side we find many artists willing to take the original elements (the rhythms, the use of the vocoder and autotune, part of the theme) and, if they don't fall directly into the market strategies (made, of course, by men in the offices of the big record labels), They manage (or at least try) to change the world and bring it to their knees. I insist on something I have said in other articles: It is on the female side of music (and on that of sexual dissidence) where the most striking aspects of the music industry these days are found. And that's where the Chilean Akriila comes in, with his newly released album Epistolary.

Akriila is, originally, Fernanda Sepúlveda, A girl of barely 20 years old and a few coins, who, as Cerati would say, uses her head like a revolver. And his battleground is the more commercial side of the music market. But, it's clear he didn't accept the antiquated rules of the global Top 40 without a murmur. But (a question arises from an imaginary friend, representing all my acquaintances who hate the mainstream) Is this girl primarily making reggaeton, that is, the music of the idiotic Satan of the capitalist system?. Yes and no… and that's where it progresses. When we talk about its sound, here we find more elements that break the mold., since it combines drum & bass, hardcore techno, hip hop with classic textures, and even folk. And everything that comes out of the speakers belongs to him, plays to his advantage, sets him apart from everyone else. He splendidly mocks us all with his overuse of autotune, but not by delicately tweaking his voice to sound like a diva such as Mariah Carey or Shakira. No. This is the song of a youthful android who adds a robotic effect to his discourse of love, unbridled passion, nonconformity, and delight., A delight that might offend us older folks, perhaps because it seems distant, childish, degenerate, who knows… It's 2024 And we forget that after a long period of conservatism, disguised as unfulfilled liberal rhetoric, We find it hard to accept what many, many, many people want, experience, and demand for their lives, almost adopting it as a slogan. «"Live your life and stop bothering me, asshole.".

How to listen Epistolary? I would recommend initially doing this alone, with headphones, without intending to share it with others from the start, who may be just as wary as you. I'm warning you now: Don't expect the clean sound of a typical radio hit. This is a noisy, corrosive record, offensive to many. Even so, if he wants, he'll make him dance. He'll occasionally hear phrases like «"what a nice little ass" ((not exactly the language used in Shakespearean texts), but go with the flow, immerse yourself in the rumbling exercise. Sit back, if you like, at the bizarre party we've occasionally wanted to experience without regret, those raw dawns, but with the smile of having crossed borders. Too much? Perhaps. But perhaps Akriila is warning us that there is a sector of the new generations that is telling us that we can go further without regretting it. Perhaps we've become saturated with what Rosalía has given us at this point in our lives. Perhaps, if you feel afraid of all this, it's best to step back, but remember: Step aside and live your own life. However, perhaps a potential sound revolution will be lost due to this precautionary measure. You have been warned.