Malena Zavala - Aliso (2018)

'We dare you not to fall in love with Malena Zavala's honeyed voice on this slow-burning indie tune' NYLON 'Should I Try serves as a stunning introduction to a colossally exciting new musician' Crack in the Road 'Argentinean born Malena Zavala is set to take the world by storm' Wonderland Aliso is the debut album from Malena Zavala, released digitally and on 12" gatefold vinyl on April 13th via Yucatan Records. Containing the acclaimed 2017 singles Should I Try and If It Goes plus new single 'Could You Stay', Aliso was entirely written, played and produced by Zavala. Its ten tracks owe a debt to Beach House, Brian Eno, Tame Impala, Cuban folk musician Silvio Rodriguez and an addictive Argentinean tea called Yerba Mate that fuelled its recording. When Zavala sings, time seems to stand still. Her haunting voice is hypnotic, her sensual songs are as much about capturing emotions as they are about telling tales. Born in northern Argentina, Malena was brought up in Britain from the age of three thanks to her family's Italian passports and an Argentinean economy in crisis. For Aliso she drew inspiration from the women in her family; from the strong Latino character of her Mother honoured in If It Goes , to her maverick Grandmother who in particular encouraged her free-thinking approach. Until 2016 Malena was in the band Oh So Quiet with her brother Lucas before he made a dream move to California. As an older sibling he had been a strong musical influence and, while losing her mentor was hard at first, it was a vital step for her to step out of the shadows. Visiting Lucas in California at his house in Aliso Viejo, she felt a surge of energy and desire to prove herself, writing most of her first LP in a couple of weeks. Within six months she had recorded, produced, and mixed* (*with Gareth Jones) the album, and completed all the art, visuals and videos. Set to a backdrop of liquid psych rock and dream pop, Aliso concerns itself largely with themes of cultural identity, self-doubt, acceptance, artistic freedom, miscommunication between cultures, and relationships. The beauty of Aliso - and the reason it sounds like no other album - is because its songs were recorded as they were written, with no boundaries, no set destination, and no rules in place to break. 'Could You Stay' is a perfect distillation of this approach. Vocally and sonically it's pitched between Kevin Parker and Victoria Legrand, but in its bluesy guitar playing and Latin style drums we hear an artist who's already carved a niche for herself. It's a song about falling in love with a friend and not telling them, Zavala's voice capturing the bittersweet sensation like a film camera captures light. Tracklist: 1. Intro Song 2. If It Goes 3. Moon Song 4. Broken By Two 5. Aliso 6. Should I Try 7. Could You Stay 8. A Vision That's Changed 9. Send Out To The Water 10. I Never Said It The 4O5 Track of the day "Malena's quivering vocal holds tight to your heart and guides you through this beautiful haze, into a resounding instrumental conclusion that shows an artist spreading her wings for flight" Nylon Soundcheck Column Visions of the Golden Coast come to mind while listening to Malena Zavala's latest cut from her upcoming album, Aliso. Patient and tender, A Vision That's Changed is a mood worth spending some time in" Crack in the Road track post "as moving as anything else I've heard this year" Stereogum "Zavala's newest single unfolds patiently, at first sparse and plaintive until it gradually builds to a gorgeous outro full of layered vocals and aqueous guitars" The Line of Best Fit "Zavala could be set to be a real gem of 2018"