Xen (album)

Xen
Studio album by Arca
Released November 3, 2014 (2014-11-03)
Genre Electronic
Length 39:24
Label Mute
Producer Arca
Arca chronology
Stretch 2
(2012)		 Xen
(2014)		 Mutant
(2015)
Alternative Album Cover
The alternative album cover for the digital edition[2]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[4]
Clash8/10[5]
Consequence of SoundA-[6]
Fact[7]
The Observer[8]
Pitchfork Media8.4/10[9]
Popmatters8/10[10]
Resident Advisor3.5/5[11]
Rolling Stone[12]
Tiny Mix Tapes[13]

Xen is the debut album by Venezuelan electronic music producer Arca, released on November 3, 2014 via Mute.[14] Originally from Venezuela, Arca (aka Alejandro Ghersi) lives in London where he shares a living space with the graphic artist Jesse Kanda.[15] The two work in tandem on various projects while Ghersi has also been a co-producer for Björk and Kanye West.[16] The album was recorded over a, largely improvised, six-month period in 2014.[15]

Background

The title of the album is a reference to Ghersi's ‘feminine spirit’ as portrayed in the album artwork and videos. According to the artist, the designer Jesse Kanda asked "if I had a girl’s name when I was a kid, I told him that I have this image in my head when I listen to a song of mine that I really love or that I feel happy with. I move really slowly in a very effeminate way [and] close my eyes and I see this naked being who exists in front of an audience. Everyone is simultaneously attracted to it and repulsed".[16]

Upon reflection he felt that “Those were all projections of my psyche; of how I viewed my own sexuality and how I engaged with people through the lens of sensuality. Xen is an ‘it’. I lean towards calling Xen ‘her’ in response to the fact that society historically leans towards men having more power. Me calling Xen ‘her’ is an equalisation of that.”[16] This is reflected in the video for the song "Thievery". Ghersi noted that the song-titles have little meaning except for "Failed" which was written about his boyfriend Daniel Sannwald.[16]

Track listing

All tracks written by Alejandro Ghersi, except otherwise noted. 

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Now You Know"  3:58
2."Held Apart"  1:20
3."Xen"  3:18
4."Sad Bitch"  1:55
5."Sisters"  2:21
6."Slit Thru"  2:12
7."Failed"  3:40
8."Family Violence"  2:13
9."Thievery"  2:33
10."Lonely Thugg"  2:56
11."Fish"  2:07
12."Wound"  2:09
13."Bullet Chained"  2:51
14."Tongue"  2:59
15."Promise"  2:52
Vinyl 10" Side C[18]
No.TitleLength
1."Empath"  1:37
2."Get in the Fucking Car"  2:58
3."Snatch"  1:51
4."Vanity"  2:30
Vinyl 10" Side D[19]
No.TitleLength
1."Dog Crying at its Owner's Grave"  3:05

Charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[21] 109
US Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[22] 8
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[22] 47
US Top Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[22] 6

References

  1. ↑ "Xen (digital edition)". apple. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Xen (digital edition)". apple. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Xen – Arca". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  4. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Xen – Arca". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  5. ↑ Oliver, Matt (November 7, 2014). "Arca – Xen". Clash. Music Republic Ltd. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  6. ↑ Staples, Derek (November 24, 2014). "Arca – Xen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ Kalev, Maya (November 10, 2014). "Arca Xen". Fact. The Vinyl Factory. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ Empire, Kitty (November 2, 2014). "Arca: Xen review – producer Alejandro Ghersi's elegant, chromatic debut". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ Sherburne, Phillip (November 3, 2014). "Arca: Xen". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ Houle, Zachary (November 17, 2014). "Arca: Xen". Popmatters. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  11. ↑ Ryce, Andrew (November 4, 2014). "Arca – Xen". Resident Advisor. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  12. ↑ Escobedo Shepherd, Julianne (November 5, 2014). "Arca Xen Album Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  13. ↑ Neibergall, Will. "Arca – Xen". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  14. ↑ Listing of the Xen album (CD) on Discogs.com (accessed March 28, 2015).
  15. 1 2 Friedlander, Emilie (30 September 2014). "Cover Story: Arca Finds Xen". thefader.com.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Gorton, Thomas. "Arca: Xen Master". Dazeddigital.com. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  17. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Arca-Xen/release/6455294
  18. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Arca-Xen/release/6270186
  19. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Arca-Xen/release/6270186
  20. ↑ "Xen (????? Edition)". apple. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  21. ↑ "ゼン" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
  22. 1 2 3 "Xen – Arca Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 7, 2014.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/2/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.