Distancia

Distancia is the debut album from Solidaridad Tango, North America's only all-female tango orchestra. Founded by Canadian resident Aparna Halpé during the COVID-19 pandemic, it features originals alongside reimagined classics.

Distancia begins with a poem, ‘Winter's Coming’, about taking solace in music during lockdown. ‘Deriva’ dials up the raunchiness before ‘Pompeya’ bursts out with driving bass and staccato strings. The melancholy vibrations of ‘Variación’ set the scene for ‘And I Have Been Looking’, a poem about the tragic deaths of three Indigenous Canadian women.

‘The Corner’ introduces us to the enchanting vocals of Valeria Matzner, who frantically recounts how police forcibly relocated Toronto's homeless population during the pandemic. The gentle accordion of ‘Fuimos’ calms, before majestically moody cello melts into twinkling piano and silky vocals on ‘If Not Today’.

‘YYZ’, ‘a tongue-in-cheek homage to Canadion rock idols Rush, Toronto, and the folk drums and songs of Aparna Halpé's childhood in Sri Lanka’, is a standout. Ethereal bowing gives way to groovy bass, whistles, discordant strings and haunting natural sounds before taking you on a spellbinding journey that touches on folk and jazz. It finishes with a big crash and laughter.

Timeless composition ‘El Adiós’ follows, before the candombe rhythms of ‘Charrúa’ bring an exhilarating conclusion. The record finishes with a poem thanking the original inhabitants of the land on which the group create.

Packed with passion, oozing originality and played to perfection, Distancia is an exciting listen from musicians unafraid of boundaries.