Mischevious. Inclined to do things that are slightly naughty. The toddler who keeps looking at you and giggling but backs up when you look in his direction. A dog that's all wound up. A prankster. A merry monk or a mad elf.
AnimalsFoxesCrazy eyesHeyyyyyyYou don't want to know what I just didMy, what large teeth you haveRupert Murdoch, is that you?
By far, the album that stuck in our heads the longest his year was Rosalia's El Mal Querer. Rosalia is a 25-year-old Spanish singer and artist who blends traditional flamenco with modern pop-R&B. That odd juxtaposition is fascinating. It helps that she's tremendously good at blending them. Take a gander at "Malamente," the lead single from her latest album, El Mal Querer:
The symbolism in that video is terrific too: a bullfight done with motorcycles, each brush getting closer and closer. What will happen when the motorcyclist strikes the man's heart?
Rosalia takes a little time to get acclimated to. Besides the language barrier, the feel of the music and the directions she heads are not quite what you expect. But that also rewards revisting. The album holds up well. And there are still some big hooks, like "Pienso En Tu Mirá":
It doesn't seem like Rosalia will be touring the USA any time soon, but El Mal Querer is worth checking out.
MusicBest of yearRosaliaEl Mal QuererJuxtapositionNo pare, sigue, sigue?