The Dominican producer mediopicky often comes up with songs so wildly experimental, they can feel like they’re being piped in from the future. That’s the case on his latest album el precio de la yuca, an album structured like a radio show taking place 80 years from now, capturing sounds ahead of their time. The format lets mediopicky — whose real name is Pablo Alcántara — roll out all his thoughts and anxieties about the present day, but more importantly, it’s a showcase of the audacious, almost unhinged ideas that have made him one of the most exciting upcoming producers in Latin music.
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What exactly do those ideas sound like? They’re all over “Negro Frutal,” a hypersonic merengue track with a galloping rhythm that eventually slams into distorted, metal-influenced production. There’s the insanely catchy simplicity of “ya ya yo no no,” a skittering, R&B-tinged goodbye to an old relationship, delivered with the apathy of someone who truly doesn’t care if you live or die. And it’s hard not to keep revisiting the title track, which blends a seesawing cumbia beat with fuzzed-out guitars inspired by System of a Down. (“I want ‘Chop Suey’ to play at my funeral,” Alcántara laughs. “System of a Down, Slipknot, Pain, those were some of the first bands I got into.”)
The unexpected juxtapositions are what make the album so thrilling. “This album was really complicated, but in the end, it was like putting a really fun Frankenstein monster together,” Alcántara says. The producer/singer/writer, who started out as a DJ in Santo Domingo, has been releasing music since 2015, standing out in the Dominican Republic’s small yet mighty alternative scene. el precio de la yuca is among his strongest efforts yet.
But although the music is a completely welcome change from the never-ending onslaught of overly commercial Latin releases, Alcántara admits it was hard actually putting el precio de la yuca out. “This album has been ready for months, and it was going to be totally different,” he says. Originally, he took the songs to several major labels and pitched a less conceptual version of the record. “The album is so complex, though, and that made it hard,” he explains. Rather than dilute the music, he went harder and pushed farther into his more eccentric tendencies, both sonically and conceptually.
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It might seem like Alcántara has a bigger plan or philosophy behind the music he’s making — his projects often come with a touch of provocation. Last year, he dropped a song called “R0s4L14 no se invento ese sonidito,” which translates to “Rosalia didn’t invent this little sound.” He laughs about it now, saying he just wanted to remind artists that sounds and genres have a history, and no one owns or invented a particular style. But his approach isn’t really pre-meditated; he describes chasing his inspirations down like someone catching butterflies in a net. He also says he thinks a lot about where music is heading. “I’m always imagining what music is going to sound like in the future, and it inspires all these fascinations for me,” he says.
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Alcántara says he has a million more ideas bouncing around in his head. He already has his next album ready, and he describes it as more club-oriented. One thing has been motivating him more than ever: His daughter, who was born this year. “Having her is like gasoline. Before that, I was like, ‘Tranki, I’ll make songs whenever, it’s chill.’ But the feeling I have with this kid is like, ‘Okay, let’s do this!’ It’s completely new energy.
FAQs
Q: What inspires mediopicky’s music?
A: mediopicky’s music is inspired by a blend of experimental sounds, future concepts, and personal experiences, making his work unique and innovative.
Q: How does mediopicky incorporate deeper content into his music?
A: mediopicky incorporates deeper content into his music by structuring his albums like a radio show, using fictional hosts to explore themes and messages in a satirical yet thought-provoking manner.
Q: What motivates mediopicky in his music career?
A: mediopicky finds motivation in his daughter, who brings a new energy and drive to his creative process, pushing him to explore new ideas and musical directions.
Credit: www.rollingstone.com
