by Arca
We’ve known that Arca was a generational talent since 2020’s KiCk i, a contender for album of the year. Hell, her output during the 2010s had already cemented her as one of the best artists in the field of electronic music. And yet again, she accomplishes the impossible, dropping four albums, all in consecutive days. Kick ii and Kick iii are the most similar pair of all the albums, full-on diving into a hip hop/reggaeton inspired sound. But the second installment is poppier, and sounds more closely connected to KiCk i than the other albums, which are an entire departure from that sound. Kick iii, however, is the musical little brother that is chaotic and abrasive as a Death Grips record. Still, it manages to be a fun collection of club bangers that make up arguably her best work yet. Kick iiii is the calm after a storm, leaning into a more ambient sound. Even in what can be considered the worst of the five projects, the fourth is a unique and incredibly heartfelt album that calls back to her earlier work. However, a lot of it seems directionless at times, and fails to pull the listener in the way the previous three albums did. Despite how gorgeous it sounds, a lot of Kick iiiii sounds unfinished and not fully fleshed-out at times. It’s hard to deny the innovative sound and how iiiii builds on ambient and classical music. All in all, Arca manages to reinvent herself time and time again, doing in four albums what many artists couldn’t pull off their entire career. In just a span of days, she’s further made her case as one of the most unique musicians ever and arguably the greatest artist to come out of Venezuela. – Alan (8.2/10)
KICK ii
Released November 30, 2021
Reviewed December 15, 2021
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Prada (50%), Rakata (48%), Luna Llena (38%)
Alan: 8.4/10 | Cam: 8.3/10 | DeVán: 7/10
Dominick: 6.8/10 | Hadley: 6.5/10 | Jared: 6.5/10
KicK iii
Released December 1, 2021
Reviewed December 15, 2021
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Señorita (53%), Bruja (47%), Incendio (44%)
Alan: 8.8/10 | Cam: 8.8/10 | Jared: 8.5/10 | Dominick: 7.4/10 | Hadley: 7/10 | DeVán: 6.5/10
kick iiii
Released December 2, 2021
Reviewed December 15, 2021
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Xenomorphgirl (60%), Queer (38%), Boquifloja (35%), Lost Woman Found (35%)
Alan: 7.5/10 | Cam: 7.5/10 | DeVán: 6.5/10 | Dominick: 6.2/10 | Jared: 6/10
kiCK iiiii
Released December 3, 2021
Reviewed December 15, 2021
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Clown (51%), Fireprayer (39%), Estrogen (34%)
Alan: 8.1/10 | Jared: 8/10 | Dominick: 7.8/10 | Cam: 7.5/10 | DeVán: 7.5/10
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