Arca is one of the most incredible producers of our generation, creating a forcefield of its own across the entire electronic scene. From rising to prominence on Kanye’s Yeezus, to further cementing its legacy alongside Björk, to its own ever-growing Kick album series, Arca is truly one of a kind. I was first introduced to it through its music with FKA Twigs and immediately fell in love with its production, most notably on “Lights On” and more recently “Tear In The Club,” as well as its work with Blood Orange on “Take It Back.”

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“Lights On” by FKA Twigs

FKA Twigs’s debut album LP1 is one of a kind – I could write a separate article on why I love each song. Arca produced four of the songs off the project, including one of my first ever favorite Twigs songs, “Lights On.” It’s an indescribable blend of, well, everything, containing many different parts in support of Twigs’s delicate voice. The beat starts off slow, yet picks up pace by the first hook with rapidly clicking percussion, even combining the elements of both for the second hook. As the final two minutes of the song progresses, new layers are continued to be added on top, resulting in an incredible amalgamation of sound in the end. 

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“Take It Back” by Blood Orange featuring Arca, JOBA, and Justine Skye

Blood Orange brought out quite the supporting cast for “Take It Back,” enlisting the help of JOBA of BROCKHAMPTON, Justine Skye, and of course, Arca. Unsurprisingly, the result is something incredibly beautiful, a blend of four amazing music minds and voices. Arca and Blood Orange combine on the production, the second time they have done so before – the first came on “Hours” by FKA Twigs, coincidentally. It’s clear they blend together perfectly, creating a piano lead instrumental while filling every millisecond of space with various other elements. Each artist lends their voice on various parts – Blood Orange and Justine Skye combine for the first verse, Arca takes the second, and JOBA closes it out in spectacular fashion. It’s a song that you just have to listen to over and over again – something I have spent a lot of time doing. 

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“Tears In The Club” by FKA Twigs featuring The Weeknd

One of two songs produced by Arca on Twigs’s recent album, CAPRISONGS, “Tears In The Club” was immediately a sensational hit. El Guincho and Cirkut contributed alongside Arca on the production, in an effort best described by Twigs. “Arca did the keys in a super cute reggaeton esq jam,” she said on her Discord. “El Guincho heard the sketch and was like that has so much potential and helped me craft the song more and added more sonics then Cirkut shut it dowwwnnnn and really transformed it into an ethereal Rnb banger.” Twigs and The Weeknd tear it up with their vocals, adding the last part to what has been one of the most consistently on repeat tracks this year.

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