Arca has debuted her first official new music since 2017’s acclaimed eponymous album in the form of a 62-minute-long single ‘@@@@@‘. In Arca’s own words:
@@@@@ is a transmission broadcasted into this world from a speculative fictional universe in which the fundamentally analogue format of FM pirate radio remains one of few means to escape authoritarian surveillance powered by a hostage sentience gestated by a post-singularity AI. The host of the show, known as DIVA EXPERIMENTAL lives across multiple bodies in space in virtue of her persecution- in order to kill her, one would first have to find all of her bodies. The bodies that host her carry fetishes for paralinguistics, breaking the fourth wall and nurturing a mutant faith in love in the face of fear.
‘@@@@@‘ is kindred to 2013’s ‘&&&&&’. Arca sees both as ‘kindred in that they are each a musical quanta, constituted by morphing sonic quantums’. ‘@@@@@’s themes of transgression, celebration and resistance conjure parallels with Arca’s own worldviews and sees the shape-shifting artist once again playfully defying categorization.
‘@@@@@’ was premiered via DIVA EXPERIMENTAL FM, Arca’s bespoke collaboration with NTS Radio. The broadcast is available to hear back now via NTS Radio before being made available on digital services this Friday, February 21st.
Earlier this week, Arca provided the soundtrack for Burberry’s AW20 womenswear show in collaboration with French pianists The Labèque Sisters. The show, which took place at London’s Kensington Olympia is available to watch back HERE
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