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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
We’ve long struggled to box Arca into a single genre, and KiCk-i bursts out of genre conventions entirely, as a glorious expression of life.
90
KiCk i is the sound of life's multitudes, a soundtrack for dissolving the barriers that once defined us.
90
KiCk i drips with pensive pleasure.
88
KiCk i is her fullest vision yet for herself, the culmination of eight years of musically and visually rocketing outside the box, bridging seemingly diametrically opposed forces, and pursuing her muse no matter how strange others might find it.
84
As Arca harmonizes both jolting energy and hushed beauty into a single aura, it’s hard not to pound the desk and pin her as the future of pop music. But then reality sets in: the sensory overload she tends to serve up will continue to confound many – even if this is her most accessible and celebratory record to date.
80
Arca has created a world of diversity, inclusivity and acceptance by combining a myriad of different styles; it’s just a shame that our actual world isn’t as welcoming or unified as ‘KiCk i’.
80
Amid a highly acclaimed career, Arca’s latest album presents a new high-water mark.
80
By far the bounciest, most ecstatic song cycle of Arca’s career, the album is a celebration of actualization, whether that’s spurned by finding harmony internally or in communion with another.
80
These kinds of unapologetic contradictions and fragments coexist on KiCk i in startling, beautiful, and genuine ways, making it a complete, and triumphant, portrait of Arca's artistry.
80
KiCk I offers up an even broader palette than previously, while keeping up a steady diet of trademark dissonance alongside those slightly more overground ambitions.
80
The record dazzles with its detail, beguiles with its lyrical performances and leaves a lasting impression with powerful songwriting.
80
Venezuelan artist unveils fourth album of beautifully defined avant-pop.
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1y
75
KiCk I is a consistently enjoyable, so the fact it still feels like something of an anti-climax is testament only to Arca’s history of braveness and originality.
75
On the first album of a four-part series, the Venezuelan-born, Barcelona-based artist offers her most accessible music to date, channeling her signature sounds into sharply focused avant-pop.
70
KiCk i is a promising kick-off to this exciting new chapter of Arca’s life and career.
70
I’d still describe KiCk i as a “must listen”. No other artist is creating compelling, complex soundscapes like these.
64
Her latest, KiCk i, an attempt to capture her entire identity with all its facets and contrasts, is a bit of a stumble compared to her other confident strides, but she's still going in the right direction for her illustrious career.
60
Perfection is not revolutionary, but change is. And while KiCk i is not as subversive as the work of Arca’s black contemporaries such as Zebra Katz, who don’t benefit from her level of exposure, it nonetheless offers a red pill to a more hopeful future.
60
Diversity ... is both the medium and the message.
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1y
fuck the guardian all my homies hate the guardian
so, KiCk i, the first album on Arca's new trilogy (the next albums being called KiCk ii and KiCk iii), is probably the most difficult Arca album to put into a genre - and that's literally what she wants.
interpolating two or three of her own past songs, she blends experimental pop and reggaeton in her new masterpiece, making it one of the most unique electronic albums i've ever listened to (her 3 other albums Xen, Mutant and the self titled ... read more
so, KiCk i, the first album on Arca's new trilogy (the next albums being called KiCk ii and KiCk iii), is probably the most difficult Arca album to put into a genre - and that's literally what she wants.
interpolating two or three of her own past songs, she blends experimental pop and reggaeton in her new masterpiece, making it one of the most unique electronic albums i've ever listened to (her 3 other albums Xen, Mutant and the self titled ... read more
Kick I is the latest futuristic answer mixing psychedelia and industry, which has the gift of taking us on a sound journey as eccentric as it is sensational. Humanly speaking, never before has an Arca album been so down to earth, showing all the convictions of its author.
Whether we know her music and her history, Arca has already left her mark on pop culture and art, during the last decade, more or less on a large scale, occupying an important place in the evolution of modern music. After ... read more
Whether we know her music and her history, Arca has already left her mark on pop culture and art, during the last decade, more or less on a large scale, occupying an important place in the evolution of modern music. After ... read more
Arca continues to completely shatter any and all barriers on one of their, and 2020’s, best records
'KiCk i' é tão profundo quanto o poder de Arca em sempre conquistar um novo espaço na indústria, seja sendo produtora de artistas como Kanye West e Björk, ou criadora de seus importantes projetos dos quais ajudam a compor de maneira sólida e progressiva, a nova vanguarda da música.
E é com uma produção voltada para suas raízes que Arca conta com a presença de nomes importantes na composição do ... read more
E é com uma produção voltada para suas raízes que Arca conta com a presença de nomes importantes na composição do ... read more
Doña Arca serving post-modern alternative album and I'm fucking here for it!! I've discovered her work not that long ago and of course I am a fan, I love artists that aren't afraid to take us to the next dimension of music freedom. Maybe she's too ambitious, maybe she's a state of art, maybe she's overrated. The fun is in the undiscovered. Also the production is 1NS4N3 as always.
pitchfork.com
Arca Shares Video With Two New Songs 
Contributions By
anztec, patton, Tillz, jerri blank fan account, naul_, Muratka, kindasweetener, hbear, 6bubble6bubble6, domvic, MarkyC, Spaceyy, MikeOwen, davecoop18Become a Donor
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Track List
| 1 | Nonbinary 2:19 | 81 |
| 2 | Time 2:45 | 87 |
| 3 | Mequetrefe 2:20 | 90 |
| 4 | Riquiquí 2:39 | 85 |
| 5 | Calor 3:32 | 82 |
| 6 | Afterwards 4:02 feat. Björk | 86 |
| 7 | Watch 2:28 feat. Shygirl | 86 |
| 8 | KLK 3:47 feat. ROSALÍA | 89 |
| 9 | Rip the Slit 2:54 | 79 |
| 10 | La Chíqui 2:47 feat. SOPHIE | 89 |
| 11 | Machote 2:57 | 83 |
| 12 | No Queda Nada 5:37 | 84 |
Total Length: 38 minutes
Year End Lists
| #1 | / | Bleep |
| #3 | / | Dazed |
| #11 | / | Magnetic |
| #29 | / | Slant Magazine |
| #32 | / | Les Inrocks |
| #32 | / | Stereogum |
| #40 | / | Pitchfork |
| #47 | / | Treble |
| #57 | / | Noisey |
| #75 | / | The Quietus |
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1y
As a big Zebra Katz fan, I'm sad that some of the only recognition he is getting from a well-known publication is in the form of an unnecessary dig towards Arca for her album.
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Added on: March 8, 2020