INoticias.CL | Songs as Letters: Gabriela Arcos Returns to Indie Folk with «Atte.»

Songs as Letters: Gabriela Arcos Returns to Indie Folk with «Atte.» – Her Anticipated Second Album

El Ciudadano

Original article: Canciones como cartas: Gabriela Arcos regresa al indie folk con «Atte.», su esperado segundo disco

It is often said that writing can soothe the heart and spirit. The lyrics carry the weight of the soul, liberating us from it almost like magic; could this be why letter writing has been so significant throughout human history?

Chilean artist Gabriela Arcos, who made her mark in the music scene in 2021 with the EP «A solas» and solidified her presence with her debut full-length album «Quién llama a esta hora» (2023), returns to the melancholic folk sound of her early releases after several years exploring alternative rock.

Pain and abandonment, interwoven with hope, shape «Atte.», her second album, which is perceived as a compilation of letters meant to escape and express what lies within.

«This album was without a name for a long time, unlike past releases. This time, I had so much to say that I just wrote the songs, and once I faced them, I realized they were letters or messages I hesitated to send. The question remains: if I don’t dare or don’t want to, what does that mean? Rather than stories from a narrative perspective, I see them as a collection of images from fleeting moments that occur within one overarching tale,» the artist reveals about the ten tracks of the album.

Blending the poetry of Wislawa Szymborska, lyrics from Bob Dylan and Taylor Swift, the country influences of pop stars, and titles like «Kansas Anymore,» «The Secret of Us,» and «The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,» this indie folk project was produced by Lia Lara, featuring contributions from Nando García, Fresco Fresco, and Javier Barría.

It is also said that writing is not solely for oneself. In this light, Gabriela Arcos shares personal stories that we can embrace as our own, finding in them companionship, understanding, and even hope.

«The first album was crafted with more humor, as if I were playing at being a musician. Now, I felt a different weight. A weight I impose on myself. In the first album, I recounted stories of all the loves I had experienced up to that point—some embarrassing, painful, tragicomic. In ‘Atte.’, there was nothing left to tell except what I was living, and all the lightheartedness that could have been present in the previous album was, thanks to personal processing and growth, simply not possible this time,» she confesses.

All this culminated in a farewell that is sad, tangled, angry, yet filled with faith in multiple passages. The themes of helplessness and vulnerability resonate powerfully as Gabriela facilitates her healing through her music.

«I think there is something truly beautiful in receiving stories and anecdotes from strangers who see themselves reflected in this music that has nothing to do with their lives. The sense of community that this generates excites me,» she elaborates on the vision behind her work, which has a clear premise: no pain lasts forever, and when the hurt fades, there is no more love to give.

Now, guitars, drums, pianos, banjo, mandolin, trombone, and a voice that transcends shyness to offer companionship come together in «Atte.», a sophomore LP that also serves as the open letter that Gabriela Arcos has to gift to anyone willing to be a recipient.

Listen to the album HERE (Spotify)