My Alma Latina

My Alma Latina by MICHELLAR is an excellent example of Latin pop with an alternative, enigmatic core that differentiates it from other projects in the genre. Latin pop has plenty of projects with bold sonic landscapes and intense power but My Alma Latina uses a more subtle emotional tone and conveys itself not just through the sounds it uses but also by the sounds it chooses not use. There is an inherent understanding of negative space in this project. It feels like MICHELLAR understands how silence is often as meaningful as sound and that absence can sort of be an instrument within itself. A great example of this is the stripped back sound used through the “breathe” lyric in the opening track. Although the vocal itself is incredibly rich, the sound around it falls away, allowing the vocal to stand alone and dominate the spotlight of the track.

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It's counter intuitive for the track to strip back its sound at its climax but this actually allows more focus to be on the individual strongpoints of the sound, as opposed to overwhelming the listener with a wall of music that they never would be able to fully comprehend. The voice itself is rich and diverse. It has a huge range in its tonal direction and emotion. It feels just as strong in the high points as it does in the low ones. This shows confidence and awareness of the narrative journey of the track. This emotional connection between the delivery and narrative strengthens both parts and immerses the listener deeper within the passionate soundscape of the project. Samba With Me is a personal favourite, I love the Brazilian Clave rhythmic style that plays with the concept of on and off beat. The rhythm flows beautifully, not just as a sonic foundation but instead providing texture and personality that elevates the energy of the track. The space in this track is also meaningful, leaving the rhythm to be the central theme in large sections, linking back to this idea of dancing with someone, allowing the dancers to be alone with the rhythm. MICHELLAR has created an impressive and sonically cohesive project that connects themes with melodies in a beautiful way.