Artist: Estrella Morente Album: Mujeres

Year: 2006
Duration: 0:0-1

A Deep Dive into Estrella Morente's Mujeres Album

It's always a little bit daunting reviewing an album from a legendary artist. However, today we will dive deep into Estrella Morente's Mujeres album which was released in 2018. For those who might not know, Estrella Morente comes from a long line of flamenco artists. Her father, Enrique Morente, was one of the most respected flamenco singers of all-time. This album was inspired by all the women that influenced and shaped the artist's life. The album is inarguably among her strongest efforts and certainly, one of the year’s most essential Spanish-language records.

The Mujeres album carries on the rich flamenco tradition of the Morontes with a fresh contemporary take. It features guitar, handclaps, percussion, piano, and horns to accompany Morente's robust vocals. In this album, Morente offers an imaginative, diverse program of songs, both old and new, and musically wide-ranging. The album can be seen as universal by talking about the strength of women, and not just from the artist's personal point of view.

The album's second track and its lead single, Soledad, is the perfect opener for the album. The minimalist instrumentation and Morente's emotive vocal performance offer a powerful atmosphere for the listener. The song's impact lies in the artist's ability to convey such a profound and complex emotion through the simplest arrangement. Another standout track in the album is Volver, which is Morente's own interpretation of the famous Carlos Gardel song. The song begins with a haunting cappella vocal intro, transporting the listener into the mode of nostalgia before the song breaks into a beautiful guitar accompaniment.

The album also features some of the most innovative pieces I have heard in a while. The flamenco pop fusion Por Los Tientos song smashes together two pathos songs, one from Andalusia and one from Cuba: two different cultures bonding around the pain of leaving. Tangos de La Repompa, another experimental track, features a range of horn arrangements throughout the song that provides a unique and exciting change of pace. The song's ambitious arrangement creates an electrifying listening experience for the listener.

Critically speaking, it was a shame to see some of the weaker tracks on the album filler. While these tracks do not detract significantly from the rest of the album, they also never quite reach the same heights that we see in the album's better songs. However, the album's highlights considerably make up for the weaker parts of the album.

To wrap things up, Mujeres is undoubtedly an excellent album. The album shows Morente's ability to deliver individual songs interwoven in an album that captivates the listener. It can be seen as an album that portrays Estrella Morente's personal agenda. Still, it also carries an important message for all women facing difficulties and embodies the resilience and dignity of womanhood. It's a beautiful record that I highly recommend for anyone seeking to expand their musical horizons or is a fan of the Morontes' flamenco music. Mujeres is worth listening to over and over again.