Torpe, Traste y Testaruda

Derek Blagg - Melanie

Shakira - She Wolf (mp3): A deep electronic voice pleads "S.O.S" over a crescendoing party bass. Intro a loop of gangly indie guitar. Then, Shakira? Yes, Shakira. After the shock of the first listen, the second sent me into a flashback of 2002. This was the year I first watched Shakira crouch awkwardly in clunky black platform boots to peform Ciego Sordomuda on Univision. I remember immediately thinking her wacky courage reminded me of a spanish-speaking Alanis Morissette. And now the exotic quality of her voice still continues to experiment without any regard for belonging. Beyonce/Fergie meets Kraftwerk... why not?