Album review: "delincuente espiritual" by LaDí
The first thing you notice when you listen to LaDí is her voice. Not just in the obvious that-goes-for-every-singer way, but moreso its register: she manages to sound both like a close whisper and an ethereal transmission from deep space.
Her first tracks, released under the name DiAnE, were rough around the edges but showed an early promise. Here was a young woman, barely out of her teens, with an undeniable ear for structure and melody and the voice (and attitude!) of a Zoomer Siouxsie Sioux.
She stepped up her output last year, releasing back-to-back-back singles including the sublime “OTrA VeZz”, haunting-yet-suggestive “RiCaa”, and indie folk-tinged “ErOtiCa”. Staying completely independent, she dropped her album delincuente espiritual in March and stayed true to the eclectic voice she’d cultivated the previous year.
Part of the album’s appeal stems from the manner in which LaDí breaks down her lyrics; stilted and relaxed at the same time, obviating the awkward cadence that plagues some contemporary YA poetry that passes off shallow fragmented sentences as free verse. Instead, her songs lack the fat associated with inexperienced songwriters — making them all the easier to groove with. An example is “BOOTY CALL,” where she both laments and pushes back against the reality that her beau is only interested in her after hours.
The album’s atmospheric beats, mostly produced and edited by LaDí herself, are also integral to establishing the laidback tone that make it so pleasurable to listen to. Much of it is owed to the ambient house-meets-pop aura that’s found in tracks such as “SOLA” and “DENTRO DE MÍ,” wherein both fit the tenor for either sunbathing at the beach with a piña colada or lounging under mood lighting with a glass of wine.
The album’s entire thesis is arguably encapsulated in opener “DE OREJA A OREJA,” an ode to going with the flow, feeling chill, and keeping a smile on your face all the while. But beneath the commitment to immaculate vibes™, there’s a rich nuance to the songs that begs repeat listens as LaDí smuggles into her lyrics themes of self-respect, agency, and boundaries even as she doesn’t shy away from her nature as a sexual being. It’s a balancing act that impresses when coming from a veteran artist, and even more from someone just starting out.
Now that she can already boast a debut album so assured and captivating as delincuente espiritual, it’s exciting to imagine where LaDí can go from here.
Follow LaDí on Instagram and Spotify, and listen to delincuente espiritual here: