Review: Rosalía - MOTOMAMI
Rosalía
MOTOMAMI
Rosalía’s third album defies the concept of genre. She merges Regatton, Flamenco, Electronica and Jazz to create a fluctuating masterpiece, continuing her fascinating evolution as an artist.
10
I only needed to hear mere seconds of the Flamenco-infused handclaps of 'MALAMENTE' to become hooked on the sound of Rosalía. Whilst fantastic in its own right, I had admittedly overlooked Rosalía’s debut album, the New Flamenco Folk of 2017s 'Los Angeles'. When she released her subsequent follow-up, the daring and innovative 2018s 'El Mal Querer', however, I, like everyone else, was paying attention.
It has been four years since her dissertation turned masterpiece of a sophomore record. In the intervening years, Rosalía has toured the world. Showcasing her ability and artistry as a phenomenal live performer. She has also released a series of standalone singles and collaborations. These began to show her ability to experiment and combine mainstream sounds with ingenious and complex ideas. For every radio hit such as 'Con Altura' and 'Aute Cuture’, there were intense sensory unorthodox experiences in the form of 'A Pale' and 'Dolorme'. The latter is a devastatingly beautiful acoustic ballad. It was unlike anything she had attempted before and would go on to define the first global lockdown in 2020.
It is fair to say anticipation for her third record, ‘MOTOMAMI’, reached an absolute fever pitch from the moment she released a brief but tantalizing glimpse at the title track back in November. Subsequent singles were wildly contrasting in nature. First taste, a sultry collaboration with The Weeknd titled 'LA FAMA' sounded like the two superstars were teasing each other, performing a deadly tango. That delicate nature of the duet left listeners even more surprised when she dropped the innovative 'SAOKO'. The single ingeniously combines a distorted piano with a rare rap flow from Rosalía, before shifting into a surprise free-flowing Jazz solo.
A key theme throughout the record is that of transformation. During 'SAOKO' she frequently declares 'Yo me tranformo' (I transform). It's the perfect reflection of MOTOMAMI as a whole. It represents her metamorphosis. Therefore, it's no coincidence that the main visual motif and symbol for the album is that of a butterfly. It appears as a jewel between her teeth, the letter M on the front cover is curved like the creature, and her hair on the artwork is styled to represent the insect's spread wings. Rosalía is not being subtle, she wants you to know that she has evolved, and that is also strongly apparent sonically.
Sharing the tracklist ahead of the release, Rosalía was also keen to highlight the duality of the record, one half of the album highlighting the ‘MOTO’ and another half reflecting the ‘MAMI’. What is interesting is that there is no clean divide sonically on the record, it’s not Side A and Side B, instead, the record fluctuates between the two moods/personas. Ahead of the album release, the constant shifting in the styles and sounds of the singles gave way for concern on how cohesive the album would be. It turns out that those fears were completely unfounded, with the movement between each of the sixteen tracks feeling completely natural.
Each aspect of Rosalía as an artist feels reflected in the record. As well as hinting at how she plans to continue to shift in the future. ‘BULERIAS’ is a brilliant example of the Spanish superstars’ incredible range and passion for the tradition of Flamenco. The track feels like a spiritual successor to her previous record ‘El Mal Querer’. Yet in true ‘MOTOMAMI’ fashion, she has interpolated modern technology with the inclusion of distorted synths and pitch modulation. It eventually all collides together as the track marches into a male choral accompaniment.
It is delightful to see on the record how Rosalía has allowed her personality to shine through her music. It's most apparent in the pairing of tracks 'CHICKEN TERIYAKI' and 'HENTAI'. 'CHICKEN TERIYAKI' is a playful reggaeton earworm that will be popping up inside your brain frequently over the next few weeks. Whilst, Pharrell produced 'HENTAI', as the title suggests is all about sex and sensuality. Rosalía utilises a higher vocal range to reflect the beauty of sharing an intimate relationship. Her lyrics denote her desire to ride her partner like her motorbike as she sings of his expensive diamond pierced tip. It is vividly graphic, but as described in her lyric breakdown with Genius, It is intended to highlight the lure of eroticism rather than being disregarded as explicit or crude. Ultimately, it is fascinating and a joy to see the star open up and show vulnerability so candidly within her album.
‘BIZCOCHITO’, like the Spanish sugary-sweet cookie it takes its name from, is an absolute adrenaline rush. It doesn’t even last two minutes, but it is perhaps one of the most complex and layered tracks on the record. Its ‘Ta-ra-rá, ta-ra-rá, ta-tá’ refrain is infectious, but it is the ever-shifting percussion, production and bouncing pitch shifts that will have your ears glued to the speaker. Likewise, the ‘MOTOMAMI’ title track is another assault on the senses. There is a correlation between the shorter Rosalía makes a track, and the more she wants to pack into it.
‘G3 N15’ marks the midpoint of the album, and feels like not just Rosalía’s greatest ever track, but the finest example of the record's multi-faceted nature. There is just something spectacular about how Rosalía can pack so much emotion in her hushed tones. The electronically manipulated church organ only adds to the grandiose nature of the song. There is a moment when both the organ and Rosalía's voice rise in unison. When they meet each other, the emotional impact is immeasurable. You are floored by the sheer delicacy and the juxtaposed power held in her voice.
The emotional climax of the track is devastatingly beautiful. Rosalía’s voice strips away, and the electric organ almost simmers underneath, breaking through with bursts of the melody. Eventually, a voice memo appears from her grandmother. In it, she speaks of the sheer importance of family. The role god plays in their lives. As well as, how despite worrying for her granddaughter, she only cares for her happiness. It is a powerful and moving moment in a song full of them.
The latter half of the record leans much more into experimentation than the first. ‘DIABLO’, which provides a surprise appearance from a previous collaborator James Blake arrives gently with its light flamenco melody before, the track lamenting material corruption, explodes into a distorted reggaeton groove. It is reminiscent of the shifting nature of the previously mentioned ‘A PALE’, which also feels like it has set significant foundations for Rosalía’s creative ideas on the album. It can be seen in the pulsating ‘CUUUUuuuuuute’ which clashes Rosalía’s sinister deeper vocal register with her operatic angelic falsetto above menacing percussion.
‘DELIRIO DE GRANDEZA’ transforms Rosalía into a smokey 60s Jazz club singer, as if transported into a generation of big band and swing. The track incorporates segments of Cuban crooner Justo Betancorut’s 1968 single of the same name as well as a sample from Soulja Boy’s ‘Delirious’. It shows Rosalía’s ability and desire to not just reflect sounds of the past but combine two cultures and periods of time in innovative ways.
The record concludes with two contrasting yet equally titanic tracks. ‘LA COMBI VERSACE’ features another team up for the Spanish superstar with Dominican rapper Tokischa, who previously collaborated with Rosalía on a standalone single ‘Linda’. The track describes two friends enjoying a lavish night out. The emboldened, boastful and playful lyrics influence the enticing rhythm that feels destined for the club dancefloor.
Closer ‘SAKURA’ meanwhile is the ultimate display of her vocal prowess. Rosalía’s falsetto is unmatched, as is her control. The track interestingly takes on the guise of a live recording. The very clever production makes you feel as if you are in the middle of the venue, the speakers trembling under the strain of her powerful vocals. You can hear her echo across the track and the bass shaking in response. The feverish crowd cheers roaring in approval at each instance of vocal gymnastics. It is the perfect finale for a simply spectacular album.
Despite all of this, It feels like I have only scratched the surface of what ‘MOTOMAMI’ has to offer. Deeply rich and complex, Rosalía has once again proven she is one of the most creative, interesting and exciting modern artists. Whilst she is a noted admirer of Kanye West and Frank Ocean, 'MOTOMAMI' is proof she is already paving her own path to greatness. There is no doubt that her stellar discography, of which, this is the now shining jewel at the centre, will be noted with due acclaim and grandeur for decades to come. As she sings on 'HENTAI', this album is "so so so good".