Alborotá

Alborotá (meaning loud, rowdy, riotous in the feminine form) is an album created to explore notions of strength, perseverance, feminism and Latinx empowerment. Born in Colombia and based in the Bronx, New York City, Alea draws on aspects of Latin folkloric music, such as cumbia, porro, curralao and huapango with pop and electronic music, all with an underlying Afro-Latin groove.

Speaking on the album, Alea says: ‘I wanted to write… about my roots as a Colombian Afro-Indigenous woman. So this was also an exploration of identity, one that I wasn't close with until I moved far away and somehow labels became a permanent part of who I was … re-signifying the pain of being a Latin American woman taught to be silent.’

The title-track of the album boasts intricately placed percussion and guitar lines, rooted by a syncopated, grooving bass – reminiscent of the jazzier arrangements of Buika. ‘Échale Sal’, the opener, is a laid-back groove complemented by half-spoken, half-sung vocals. Alea's warm, textured voice lends itself well to the quieter, more delicate arrangements found here. But she holds her own on bigger band tunes like ‘No Me Apaga Nadie’ (one of the singles released before the album), I'd be excited to see this vocal dexterity in a live setting.