Natalia Lafourcade - Natalia La Fourcade (CD)

All Music Guide

Perky singersongwriter and multiinstrumentalist Natalia Lafourcade came out of nowhere in 2003 with this chirpy, yet surprisingly selfassured debut. Primarily produced by Loris Ceroni, who'd also worked with the substantially harderrocking Alejandra Guzman, the album nevertheless reflects Lafourcade's sensibility throughout. Songs combine acoustic guitar and a strong bossa nova influence with dashes of turntable, electronic beats, and textural sound effects like vinyl crackle. "Mango" starts off lilting, but an almost drum 'n' bass rhythm comes in quickly, injecting a strong groove that battles for supremacy with the gentle vocal and vibes; the effect is somewhat similar to recordings by Lamb or other triphop groups, but with an essential happiness that's missing from those efforts. "Otra Vez" finds her crooning over a hiphop backing track not unlike those created by Digable Planets or some neosoul musicians. "Te Quiero Dar," by contrast, is a rocking song with ampedup guitars that poi...nts the way toward the band, Natalia y la Forquetina, she formed for her second album. Lafourcade's voice is occasionally girlish, but just as often that of a young woman who knows exactly what she's after and is far from a tool of her producers (unlike the majority of pop stars in any country). Indeed, she quickly garnered a reputation as a unique and capable artist among her peers she did many of the arrangements and performed in the band on Julieta Venegas's MTV Unplugged concert in 2008. - Phil Freeman, All Music Guide Read more Less