Release Date: 14 October 2022
Song Count: 9
Rating: 8.0/10
Description:
Similar to yesterday's album, this one is another recommendation from a mate of mine - from an artist I hadn't had any personal exposure to prior to this day: KiNG MALA, originally Areli Castro, from Los Angeles. A new challenger on the horizon, she's emerged as a pop star and potential big shot earlier in the decade, garnering a substantial and dedicated following over the years, especially with her more out-there persona of carrying masculinity as a woman, as a way to channel the overarching themes within her music of self-confidence and not caring about what anyone else thinks of oneself. Her debut album, honey catching season, is a shining example of this exact thing coming through.
Dynamic instrumentals, punching and impactful beats and an air of sheer presence follow through every single track on Castro's album as her gentler vocals take the front stage. From dominant basslines in many of the songs such as "martyr" and "i hope you know what you're doing" to distant guitars jamming out in the choruses of "guillotine dreams" and echoing through the buildups of "sloppy" , the record never fails to bring out the big guns and be as bombastic as can be in presentation - matching the gravity and narrative of the tracks themselves as they thematise attraction, self-confidence, being screwed over in life, and past experiences shaping one to become a ticking time bomb in human form.
This is the sort of pop music that has been shaping the scape of the mainstream for the past few years, and will likely continue to do so going forward - and it's a change that is more than welcomeable, especially in the current state of affairs, where there is far less motion in the pop industry aside from already well established household names. While Castro may not be a figure that can easily stand out amongst many other rising stars filling her niche just yet, it is clear from the foundations set from honey catching season alone that she most definitely has the potential. The album is a full showcase of her strengths - her musical talents, presence as a figure, energy and ability to win listeners over - and given she's since released more records and singles that have also enjoyed success over the course of her career so far, the future for her overall seems very bright.
Very impressed with this album, and very excited to witness KiNG MALA's future ventures.