Maria Usbeck – “Jungla Inquieta”
Maria Usbeck is a wondrous singer-songwriter from Ecuador. She makes supremely arranged, beautifully textured journeys of mood and emotion while singing in Spanish, but her fluency in translating the intangible makes her songs undeniably captivating. Usbeck is set to bless us with her gorgeous album Amparo in less than two weeks. She’s shared lead single “Moai Y Yo” and followup “Uno De Tus Ojos,” and both were magnificent.
Today she shares another gem in “Jungla Inquieta,” and it’s a stirring departure. Her latest offering is drum- and percussion-heavy. Deep bass and low-end synths giving a raw, tribal feel in sync with the title, which translates to “Restless Jungle.” The low rumble is offset by high-tinging xylophones and Usbeck’s pure, elegant harmonies with interlocking phrases on the hook. Amparo is shaping up to be a no-skip beaut. Listen.
Amparo is out 5/27 on Cascine in North America, Labrador in Europe, and Rallye in Japan. Pre-order it on vinyl or at iTunes.