La Bien Querida

LA BIEN QUERIDA – ‘NOCTURNIDAD’

Album Review

¾ Stars

The release of the debut album ‘Romancero’ in 2009 led the young and talented Ana Fernandez-Villaverde, stage name ‘La Bien Querida’ to be widely acclaimed by thousands of listeners. By that time, Ms Ana has brought her indie-pop style to the next level. Deeper lyrics and embracing sound tend to characterise her new albums: the 12” Maxi-Singles are still work in progress. A journey that La Bien Querida began only at the end of the 2014 with the release of her first maxi-single “Premeditacion”; the joyful and simple love songs have definitely been replaced by feelings of revenge and harsh love accompanied by a powerful electro-indie rhythm.  “Alta Tension”, is a clear example of how a broken heart can lead to a disarming poetry.

And this is just a glimpse of what Ana is capable of. She started off the 2015 giving her music lovers the second piece of this intriguing puzzle, “Nocturnidad”.  A high level of intensity already begins with the title, “Nocturnal”: it conveys a sense of darkness, suspense and anger, all mixed up at the same time.

A powerful and energetic song, “Ojalá Estuvieras Muerto” (Wish you were dead), lures you into a suspenseful vortex of Ana’s world, a world made of dreadful words and resentment. Her voice creates an engaging and solid beat that grab the listener carrying along this journey.

What follows next is another intense destination, “Encadenados” (Notorious). Once again, Ana manages to mash up her bare feelings with a flowing and, I would say, complex rhythmic effects. Although her lyrics call back those simple love songs, she does not lose that touch of mystery and power that echo in the whole album.

“Carretera Secundaria” (Secondary Road) might be the gloomiest song so far: confusion and night prevails in this road with no destination. Ana’s voice is enough powerful to make a mark in the mind of the listener. This gothic-pop melody is enhanced by the presence of atmospheric and suggestive instrumental accompaniments.

The journey could not end better with “Crepúsculo” (Twilight). This is, indeed, the more intriguing and fascinating song of “Nocturnidad”. In Ana’s words, there are feelings of anger, revenge and bitterness. These emotions float in a dark thick night air where an electric storm is ready to show off its magnetic power.

Overall, La Bien Querida’s new album deserves to be listened carefully in order to savour every single bits of it. If these two releases have been so intriguing, the third and final destination, “Alevosia” will surely be the icing on the cake!

Chiara Brambilla