Motomami cover

Motomami

Released

We don’t get pop stars like this more than once a decade, if that. There is no genre for most of this, though the root practices of flamenco and reggaeton are probably worth looking into if you like this music. The best live show of 2022, with no close competition at all. This album is concise and intense and ambitious and polite and quick to cut, slow to burn. It’s some of the most alive machine music out there. Rosalia even got Pharrell to be of use, on a song about sex, of which she says: “so so so so so so good.” She’s so dedicated to the idea of motorcycles that she’s been dressing for the road in bespoke leather every night on tour. I’m not even sure what a motorcycle is!

Sasha Frere-Jones

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