This review puts me in a difficult position. We’ve already listed »Rosal« in our albums of the year 2023. In Fiesta En El Vacio’s combination of Latin Folk and minimalist Electronica, Pippo Kuhzart found a kind of ecstasy for revolutionaries. »One snorts it again and again and, in the end, joins the resistance as a love-sick frog«, he wrote. Without a doubt, the solo-project of French-Argentinian singer Luna Maria Cedrón is intoxicating. Her soft voice, molded by the Flamenco tradition, is trained to enamor aesthetes. Add romantic guitars, unobtrusive beats & and monologues in perfectly cantillated French? Everything is designed to befuddle the bourgeoisie cultivée. But does »Rosal« enthrall in sobriety as well? It is marked by a few quirks. Cedrón primarily unites her disparate influences via a monotonous undertone: melancholia. While this prevents »Rosal« from fringing tonally, it also hampers its ability to achieve emotional high points. A few songs could have been trimmed or axed altogether. The interlude »Falseta por Seguiriya«, 01:12 of inconsequential guitar strumming, especially feels like unnecessary bloat. To be clear: »Rosal« is a very good album. I merely think that Cedrón hasn’t reached her potential as a songwriter yet. However, I fully agree with Pippo’s assessment that Fiesta En El Vacío are »amongst the most endearing discoveries of 2023.«
Rosal
