Electronica from Argentina
Juana Molina
Juana Molina was the daughter of internationally famous tango dancing parents who fled to Paris during one of the fascist military coups in her native Argentina. Juana returned to Argentina as an adult and became a prominent comedic actress. She didn't pursue a music career until she was well in her thirties and became instantly successful in South America.
Ms. Molina uses traditional Argentine folk music as a framework but expands it with by using numerous electronic and psychedelic effects. She's particularly skillful at using a delay pedal which allows her to add vocal background singing and various electronic effects when she performs.
She is often compared by critics to Björk, Beth Orton, and Lisa Germano. She usually writes, mixes tracks and performs on her own. Her second album,
Segundo, was named Best World Music Album 2003 in Entertainment Weekly and was shortlisted for a Grammy Award nomination.
Tres Cosas was placed in the Top Ten Records of 2004 by the New York Times.
Since I understand very little Spanish I'm not sure about the meaning of her songs but I'm told that many of her lyrics reflect her pro-socialist political worldview.
One of my favorite songs by Juana Molina is
Rio Seco from her 2006 album
Son. The song is awash with psychedelic production effects.