Kick iiii by Arca (my live listen/react)
I already know going into the album it is way way way more ambient and instrumental hefty. I am completely okay with that as I listen to a lot of classical and deep techno that sounds like you're sitting in the den at a rave.
Whoresong: I love all of the vocal filters she has at her disposal, but when I logged onto the first stream with her sis was talking through the filter for a solid 15 and I though I was going insane. But that being said I love it more in her music than when she's talking about her cat. I love that simple piano progression/sample in the background. I could see it being used in like a hiphop song. Ooo the zapper effect on the audio and voice at the end is great. The lyrics kinda empowering kinda sad.
Esuna: take me on a fairy train ride.
Xenomorphgirl: Queen mother, the alien one, would probably love this. Very ethereal and light, her pitched vocals with the slight glitch how how good.
Queer: A great Segway from xenomorphgirl and a fitting single for this project. Which so far there's only been one single for this project and thats probably deliberate. Closing my eyes and vibing to this one, "Tears of shower in the night time, like magic."
Witch: I love this No Bra's voice and the way it works so well with the piano even before it starts to go through post vocal filters.
Hija: 😍😍😍 slow and not dark but also not light in terms of emotion. Or maybe its just a mix of both of those emotions. I want to sit at a bench in front of a very green turf where you can see mountains or a highway in the distance and listen to this song and contemplate. Maybe just maybe I want to film something that looks like that with this song playing in the background. The one note being sung in the background adding another layer is brava. I can't understand the words being said so ill have to look up the lyrics later but the way they sound is so good for the music it adds a tinge of haunt (Spanish and distortion takes my basic Spanish skills and tosses them.) It's too fucking short or more so it goes by too quickly, I want more.
Boquifloja: 90s-00s grunge mixed with some Mazzy Star vocal runs. Arca said don't yall limit me I can produce whatever genre I want to....omg can her and Kid Cudi make a track together. Her run libs and his hums making up a beat together, please. 🙏🧎♂️ ugh her laugh after stopping playing the piano, yea girl.
Alien inside: my ears are ascending to a God tier level. WAIT GARBAGE SHIRLEY MANSON, yessss this makes sense bring in the rock influences.
Altar: Anyone who doesn't like this album would hate James Blake and to that I say, their loss. This song gives me heavy "I never learnt to share" vibes. James and Arca would be another bomb ass collab because they both make music from different spaces literally and still sound so full. Arca really is flexing her production versatility with all of these kicks and its highly appreciated. Too often an artist is placed in a box unallowing them to grow and it can be from a label and from fans. These projects in this anthology show she can do so much more than electronic alt pop or electronic hiphop. She refuses to downplay that range, her queerness, her transness, her "vulgarity", for anyone not even her fans even though she's curious what we think.
Lost Woman Found: This makes me feels things like "is it cold in the water" makes me feels things. Its distorted like you're listening to it and passing through a mountain tunnel so it drops in one ear at moments and comes back slightly distorted. There's audio thats in one ear and not the other and some thats in both but it isn't overwhelming. These effects layered with a robust droning sound that travels in both ears and around just makes it so so full. But, it doesn't loose the ethereal sound that has been throughout the project so far. There's also a heartbeat snuck into the beat as well. So much emotion in the words "I'm looking for a miracle to cast down my fears." The lyrics are so good even though there aren't many they last the entire song. Its seeing yourself for who you really are like a euphoric way and telling others they can too achieve this feeling of self ascending/discovery.
Paw: I've heard this is really good but I'm trying to go into it without expectations. The lyrics are good but halfway through that rolling effect with a delay on the production is 😭👏🏾. Someone put me on a raft in the middle of a big ass pool and let me just listen to this song. 2nd half of the song just vibrates and stays in your ears.
My favorites from this project are : lost woman found, hija, boquifloja, and alien inside.
Um my ranking of kicks so far (still have to listen to 5):
Kick iii, kick iiii, kick ii, kick i
And this in no ways means they aren't all great, I saw someone say each album just appeals to a different style that each of listeners in general, her fans, and herself really loves to hear. And that was really smart, also dropping all 4 to finish up the series/anthology is so smart. Its a lot like her releasing @@@@@ all together like one long dj set instead of singles or sections, but in a different format. This KicK project also feels a lot more put together in terms of a concept like @@@@@ is great for long time fans its not something to just jump into, but these projects new fans and random people can kind of find a volume and flip through it to find something they absolutely love or hate. There's also love letters to her communities in the music she makes. Whether that is making a classic reggaeton song in her own style or a song she's very explicitly said in a Twitter or IG post, is for trans feminine people or queer people.
