Speculative fiction, Ballardian fetish and mutant electronics coalesce in the new, hour-long project.

Arca has released an hour of new music in a cross-broadcast from NTS and the producer’s own DIVA EXPERIMENTAL.FM, accompanied with a J.G Ballard-esque visual.

@@@@@ is her first new release since her 2017 self-titled album and acts as a companion piece to her 2013 project &&&&&. According to Arca, the project takes the form of “a transmission broadcasted into this world from a speculative fictional universe in which the fundamentally analogue format of FM pirate radio remains one of few means to escape authoritarian surveillance powered by a hostage sentience gestated by a post-singularity AI.”

“The host of the show, known as DIVA EXPERIMENTAL”, she explains, “lives across multiple bodies in space in virtue of her persecution- in order to kill her, one would first have to find all of her bodies. The bodies that host her carry fetishes for paralinguistics, breaking the fourth wall and nurturing a mutant faith in love in the face of fear.”

Earlier this week Arca collaborated with Katia and Marielle Labèque for the soundtrack to Burberry’s AW20 show at London fashion week.

@@@@@ will be released digitally this Friday, February 21, XL Recordings.

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