By José Gandue @Gandour
Photo by Alvaro Puentes
You have heard about her several times on Zonagirante.com. Her name is Fran Straube and you may have heard of her for her work with the band Miss Garrison, one of the most striking projects in Latin America right now. Since we first heard her, we've been captivated by her voice, the intelligence of her interpretations, the avant-garde spirit she brings to her work, and because she surprises us every time we listen to her. Now, she has a solo project, Blond, where he draws out the rest of his moving artistic conscience, to go deeper.
Straube, under the name Rubio, has just released a kind of EP titled simply R. This work includes two topics, Light (done in collaboration with Carlos Cabezas, singer and multi-instrumentalist of Los Jaivas) e Indonesia. It's only seven minutes and fifty-five seconds of recording, but, although it may sound exaggerated, Straube can, in two recordings, to summarize the mystery and splendor of a planet. We were prepared to enjoy, as we generally have, the work of this Chilean artist, but when that majestic opening of Light, we enter a particular world, whose sound textures compel us to travel without resistance. The sharp cuts, where the explosive momentum of some of the magical noises incorporated into the mix is interrupted, jolt us into rapid abysses that startle our musical spirit. It's pure emotion in the face of experimentation, in the face of the constant need to invent new soundscapes, without that hindering the song's powerful construction. Upon listening Indonesia, We delve into an exciting sonic jungle, reminiscent of exotic, computer-generated panoramas. It's as if we were blindfolded as we crossed dark tropical curtains, where Straube pricks our ears with her sharp voice and unexpected instrumental discoveries. The final note sounds, and it's as if a wave of relief washes over us for having been able to hear all of this. And all this lasts just under eight minutes.
Without feeling that my comment is excessive, I can confidently say that Fran Straube is one of the most interesting women on the Latin American music scene right now. One of the most compelling pieces of evidence for this is found in this work.
