A LO HECHO PECHO, NEA DUCCIQue Se Yo Records, Chile
Rating: 77
By Carlos Reyes
“I’m ready to see the sunset.” Nea’s impressive path to consolidate a solo career has finally reached its objective; this is her solo project after being part of the also notable CHC (Congregacion de Hermanos Contemplativos). A Lo Hecho Pecho reaffirms the qualities of the pop singer/illustrator whose bipolar, parallel, eclectic dynamics are exposed in an album that feels almost secular to its own orbit, to the place Ducci Nea has firmly visualized and musicalized. Having said that, she really makes herself shine through a series of lenses that ultimately bond in some form of collage, from retro to trendy and everything in between.
The album is glittery and bossy, it really strikes to sound gigantic but at the same time it’s vulnerable and immediate, Nea is conscious of this distinction and polishes set of infectious songs appealing to the sounds of Annie, Santogold, Acida and Beyonce? Despite a number of weak spots here and there, the album strikes for universal praise, having songs in English and Spanish should do some of the work to get there. The smoky and bursting “Me Pasa” is like a very scary scene of encountered feelings mixed with assumptions and clashing beats, it would make a great single. “Amnesia” is a robotic, well-instituted beatbox, sounds as kitsch as M.I.A’s “Galang” (but less-objective). I guess I won’t be the first one to think of Valentina Fel as well.
While the rest of the world would probably acclaim “Amnesia”, I think our region would be more receptive to “Volando Bajo.” Nea Ducci really makes some kind of self-destruct-and-repair anthem out of it, also, it was a smart move to include a layer of folk to support its naturally inflicted lyrics. Tracks like “Peligro” and “Ups & Down” have too much of a chronological structure to standout, but those backgrounds move me! The final track “Desvio” also works with a story line and it triumphs in its nostalgic tale pageant of lost souls, “todos se perdieron del camino, nadie llego al mirador.” It’s definitely an album to contemplate at open sight, or in at least ‘a clean well lighted place.’