Xen
So far, Arca is best known as a producer. He's already produced some of FKA twigs' best work, he's co-producing Björk's next album, and he had a hand in four songs on Kanye West's Yeezus. Despite his high profile collaborations, his excellent debut album Xen is doggedly experimental, perhaps the strangest music he's made.
The Venezuelan-born, Brooklyn-based producer creates a vivid world with his masterful, if not terrifying, touch.
Having spent two years as hip-hop’s secret weapon, Arca’s leap into the spotlight showcases the auteur at his most sensual. Xen, named after Arca’s female alter ego, reflects a schizophrenia of influences, from booty-shaking soca to Aphex-esque balladry that bewilder and enrapture equally.
Album review: Arca - Xen. A captivating reaching of pained highs and battered lows…
Kanye West and FKA twigs collaborator Arca moves away from hip-hop into more tonal digital realms, writes <strong>Kitty Empire</strong>