A traditional Quinceañera is a Latin American/Indigenous celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday, marking her passage from girlhood to womanhood. Family band Marisol La Brava & A Flor de Piel from Chicago had different plans for their daughter’s special day – they decided to produce an EP called “Girlhood, it’s complicado”, on the topic of female adolescence in the context of a Mexican-American family. The group’s sound comprises of traditional Latin American music with a modern touch that combines sounds old and new.
EP Tracklist
Mi Primer Amor
On this EP, the journey into womanhood begins with a track called Mi Primer Amor meaning My First Love. It starts off with a monophonic synth lead, Spanish guitar, and tight electronic beats. The fusion of these sounds creates a soundstage that emphasizes the sultry vocals. Over a melodious marimba and low-fi chords, Mi Primer Amor has lyrics in both Spanish and Náhuatl that creates a space that has the potential to appeal to a wide audience with different tastes.
Quinceañera
On track two, bilingual lyrics are sung from the perspective of a girl growing into a woman, “.. went to bed a child, woke up a mujer”. A distorted electric guitar melody carries the track invoking a certain feeling of curiosity that at the same time is high-spirited and emotional.
Quinceañera also features a bridge section that’s a bit psychedelic because of its effect-heavy vocals and rich extended chords.
Marimacha
At its core, this track is a very lively rock song, but the addition of an accordion and some Latin American-inspired arrangements make it stand out among the five songs on the album “Girlhood, it’s complicado”. With powerful, melodious vocals and heavy drums, Marimacha (literally meaning ‘tomboy’), is an upbeat and very dance-able fusion track.
Girls They Wanna Have Fun
A bilingual take on Cyndi Lauper’s original with fresh lyrics, featuring Latin American instruments and rhythms. In addition, Girls They Wanna Have Fun is a groovy track that could easily get you on your feet. All in all, a fun listen that’s made up of bright and cheerful sounds.
Mother’s Lullaby
The final song of “Girlhood, it’s complicado” starts with acoustic guitar progression and what sounds like a Güiro that forms the initial rhythm of the track. The vocals on Mother’s Lullaby sound sentimental and full of emotion. A double bass melody accompanies the vocals brilliantly and opens up into a section that has a lot of energy and is full of optimism. – “you will grow and you’ll see just how strong you can be”.
TL;DR
The “Girlhood, it’s complicado” EP, is essentially an album about the girlhood growing experience that inherently appeals to adolescents and the parents of adolescents. Taking influence from traditional sounds from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Brazil, Spain, and the USA, Marisol la Brava & a Flor de Piel’s music is unique, owing to its unique blend of traditional Latin music styles and modern influences. Powerful vocals aid the flow of each track wonderfully creating a space that’s both heart-warming and motivating.
Check out the Girlhood, it’s complicado” EP on Spotify!
Check out our playlists here!
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
Promotional Disclaimer: The content in this post has been sponsored by the artist, label, or PR representative to help promote their work.
