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Arca, 'Incendio'

The last time Arca blessed fans with a solo release was earlier this year when the electronic artist-producer released the EP Madre, a slight departure. Gone were the maximalist tapestries of distorted synths and digitally warped vocals that fuel Arca's signature sound, and in their place was a delicate vocal performance over strings that positioned the artist as the star of her own tragic mini-opera.

But on her latest song, "Incendio," Arca invites listeners to once again dance to the sound of her delightfully chaotic pop universe — one where the streets run red with blood and fire threatens to consume all who dare to enter. "Roja roja, corre por la calles," she spits over distorted bass and metallic beats, spotlighting Arca's clear rap prowess. References to witchcraft, magic and ritual abound. By the end of the track, Arca's repeated rallying cry of "incendio!" is reverberated and warped into an inhuman howl fighting underneath the song's glitchy noise like a witch cheering beneath the fire that envelopes her sacrificial stake.

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Hazel Cills
Hazel Cills is an editor at NPR Music, where she edits breaking music news, reviews, essays and interviews. Before coming to NPR in 2021, Hazel was a culture reporter at Jezebel, where she wrote about music and popular culture. She was also a writer for MTV News and a founding staff writer for the teen publication Rookie magazine.