Empress Of - For Your Consideration

Following 2022’s future-house tour-de-force ‘Save Me’ EP, Empress Of doubles down on frenetic electronica for fourth entry ‘For Your Consideration’. Jilted by a Hollywood director pushing an Oscar campaign, Honduran-American musician Lorely Rodriguez acts as an ailing starlet - newly reckless and vengefully horny - who, back in the limelight, writhes in transgressive latin house and filthy future dance-pop, all while pitching herself to new lovers. Transformed from the heartbreak dream-pop of her bygone era, Lorely taps into the currency of sex as healing: experimental ASMR beats and thrashing percussive vocals amalgamate into a sensual and intoxicating off-piste production, only interrupted by the surprisingly out-of-place - but still alluring - features with Rina Sawayama and MUNA. Most indicative of the record’s genius (and that of collaborators Umru and Nick León) is the steamy run from ‘Cura’ to ‘Fácil’ to ‘Sucia’, a one-night-stand that reaches erotic crescendo as she rolls around in some, well, sticky substances. A far cry from the skewed R&B-meets-dream-pop of 2018’s ‘Us’ - but no less ambitious or emotive than 2020’s avant-pop follow-up ‘I’m Your Empress Of’ - ‘For Your Consideration’ is bilingual dance-pop alchemy. A post-break-up sexual revolution decorated with metaphor and sonic experimentation, that’s both dizzyingly unique and creatively assertive, this is a comeback that demands accolade.