What stands out about Carlita's latest album, Sentimental, is how she beautifully shifts between her vibrant, signature house style and a more indie-infused sound that's incredibly warm and inviting. The album solidifies her status as more than just a rising star, declaring her presence and intent to leave a lasting impact. She has enlisted her friends and some of the biggest names in dance music such as SG Lewis, Elderbrook, and DJ Tennis to not only add to the album’s dynamism, but their presence and co-sign also says a lot about the stage she is at in her career.
There have been a lot of eyes on Carlita (aka Carla Frayman) over the past few years. Since 2022, her career has flourished impressively, with remixes for artists like BLOND:ISH, Diplo, and Confidence Man, along with releases on renowned labels like Circoloco and Cercle, where she also recorded a set. I initially discovered her work through the infectious “Fell In Luv”, and I immediately dived into her discography. After 30 minutes, I came out convinced I had found one of my favorite artists of 2023.
Even though her releases pre-2024 are varied stylistically, something we haven't got to fully experience is Carlita showcasing her Turkish psychedelia and rock background. This, alongside her prowess as a multi-instrumentalist (drums, cello, bass, and electric guitar) is put on display in such a cohesive manner on Sentimental.
"Falling" with Mascolo tastefully captures that indie aesthetic that I mentioned above, and it honestly stands as one of the most comforting tracks on the project. Mascolo's vocal performance is distant, dreamy, and the repetition of "falling again" has quite a hypnotic allure to it. This is accompanied by glossy guitar arrangements and vibrant percussion to welcome listeners to dance along throughout the marvelous progression.
It's not only genre where she borrows inspiration from, but regions too. With the help of DJ Tennis, Carlita welcomes us to a vibrant mixture of Latin American influences, indie dance, and house on "Trouble Symphony". This is the PERFECT way to usher listeners into this project as it serves as a prelude for what's to come. Thematically the project falls into different pockets, however sonically the experience is tethered together by her ability to capture quite a soulful, nostalgic sound through organic instrumentation and vocal selection.
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Furthermore, there is a side of her that embraces modern production trends too like "Wish You Knew" (my personal fave) and the album's crown jewel "Time". This gem is sonically androgynous and is undoubtedly one of her most radiant tracks to date, featuring heartfelt vocals overflowing with love. The graceful rendevous between the drums and the bass line creates a bounce that pulls listeners into the dance floor. Towards the second half, the track becomes a lot more euphoric - making it perfect for those scenic festival moments where hundreds of people come together.
There was a reason why this stood out as among the most anticipated projects in the house and electronic space. Carlita has delivered on that anticipation with a project that showcases her unique style, creativity, and ability to push boundaries within scene.
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