Emotionally resonant

As an “outsider,” and always in the background, Igor Arzuaga (Bilbao, 1976) is one of those semi-hidden artists who, by the time we realize it, have developed a significant career. Fully devoted to his beloved piano, Igor has been leaving his elegant mark on projects of all kinds of languages and sonic textures. In addition to being a former member of Une Latzak and Exkixu and having collaborated intensively with Mikel Urdangarin, he has been releasing an interesting series of solo recordings and collaborations with other artists in recent years.

Igor Arzuaga presents his new album “Goxoegia” (too sweet) under his name, but within musical coordinates similar to those of his previous releases, whether under his own name or when signing under Larrepetit or the fascinating world of Mara. Once again, vaporous, soft, and elegant waves of pop, jazz, folk, and electronic music intertwine, accompanying those compositions and those indescribable vocals. Beware not to draw hasty conclusions; you won’t find the typical repetitive album here, driven by lack of imagination or sheer laziness. Igor Arzuaga feels quite comfortable and productive in the ecosystem he creates, making us feel warm and sheltered when we immerse ourselves in his world. Once within its depths, one perceives a familiar environment (almost always guided by a beautiful piano) as you delve deeper, you can find new fascinating and sophisticated details everywhere. As Igor has stated in several interviews, he enjoys playing games between instruments, thus offering each one its own space, its means of expression, and the possibility to make its own contribution. This attitude allows him building a rich soundscape, in which we feel comfortable and made to feel comfortable, to see and hear how he dares to push with an almost erotic pleasure the boundaries of the world of his songs far beyond from what we had imagined until now. Something that, truth be told, is enjoyed with the same almost erotic pleasure.

As in most of his previous records, songs have been written, played, produced, and sung by Igor Arzuaga, who also handled the recording and mixing. His voice, piano, bass, guitar, accordion, percussion, and programming are all his own. However, to create that special universe, he always has musician friends around him. In this case, Laura Pelayo’s flute appears on “abuztuak zortzi”.

Igor’s works are always striking, emotionally resonant, and crafted with a sincerity and incisive character that can sometimes be painful. We would dare to say that “Goxoegia” is his masterpiece if we didn’t sense even greater peaks waiting for us on the horizon.

It’s astonishing how Igor Arzuaga can adapt to all kinds of musical garbs and completely blend into their essence. Unnoticed and natural, at the same time, the pianist from Llodio always manages to leave his personal mark.

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