By José Gandue @spinning zone

Cover art by Zonagirante Studio

This is a great exercise that I like to do every now and then: writing about the current events of one of my favorite artists not only brings me joy, but it also helps me resolve the doubts I have at that moment about what I think about music and what I want to happen in my ears and, if I can, in the ears of the people around me who read (or listen) me.

This is where I state that, when I listen to Fran Straube —Yes, Rubio, the stage name of his project, was born in Santiago, Chile and is now expanding around the world from his residence in Mexico City.—, I like to think that, with so much nonsense taking over music platforms, radio stations, and the mediocre headphones of those who believe that songs should only serve to pass the time, There is still room and work for the salvation, at least for a while, of the human spirit.

Rubio, while preparing his next studio album, has decided to treat his fans with the release of a live album., Recorded at the legendary Blondie venue in Santiago, under the simple title Inwards. In the selection of nine tracks that make it up, Straube knows how to navigate between his most tender songs (the precious After I drowned, like an unforgettable flash) and the caustic explosion of his most recent compositions. She does so knowing that what she exposes confirms her as an artist who shrouds herself in just the right amount of darkness., and with an experimental spirit that is not content with playing with resonant textures, but rather transforms them into fragments of his skin, given to the public.

I like to imagine that his obsession with the sound difference perceived in his tunes stems from a constant curiosity, which results in brilliant discoveries. I want to believe that her distinction from the other musical offerings that surround her—and that play alongside her—stems from an eternal desire to play with instruments; to make the machines in front of her into playful tools., that they do not repeat what others want to express and, rather, try —and often succeed— to create a new and necessary response for our senses.

Let's get into the details: the live performance of their most popular song, Towards the back, It has marked differences from the original studio version. I imagine it must be rather boring to repeat the same song show after show, especially with the biggest hit of his career so far. But the explanation can't be that simple. Something tells me that many songs, in Straube's mind, are constantly being reworked. Even though there is an unaltered recording released for the enjoyment of his followers, live shows give him the opportunity to make them think that variations are possible; that it is possible to imagine —and hear— another planet, ready to be discovered.

Another peculiarity appears when a moment titled Tech Interlude, an invitation to increasingly euphoric dancing, like a moment of unbridled abandon before closing time, where the artist's voice disappears and the atmosphere is filled with samples. It's an interesting evolution, in which we might anticipate future shows with moments closer to a DJ set than to the traditional format of an electronic singer-songwriter. The outlook is opening up. The transformation continues.

In short, here are 42 minutes of a show that, without unnecessary pyrotechnics or embellishments, confirms—with songs like Yūgen, Invisible beings and others—that Rubio is a rising star whose desire to occupy a place among the most recognized names in the music industry cannot be denied.

Rubio (yes, Fran Straube) is a project that has not yet reached its peak. This live album serves to close chapters and prepare the ground for what could be the best album of his career. Or, to be more optimistic, the next great album in an impressive career that shows no signs of slowing down. Confirmed: it continues to be a pleasure to write reviews about this artist. She's one of the best we have in this hemisphere. And the whole world should know it.