It’s always exciting to watch an artist with great potential steep in their talent before opening the creative floodgates to the world. That’s been the case for Argentine indie artist Violeta Castillo, who’s been putting out low-key cozy sweater pop for over five years. With four excellent EPs under her belt, the release of her official full-length debut Errorws de Tipeo comes as a fully realized career crescendo – distinct from the rest of her catalog, yet familiar territory for long-time fans.
Where much of her music evokes twilit afternoon feels, Errorws de Tipeo has taken Violeta Castillo in a decidedly more nocturnal direction. “Bajo La Lluvia” and lead single “Envuelta” are full of moody synths and confident bass lines, exuding quiet coolness like a laid-back kid smoking a cigarette behind the bleachers. “Dormir Menos” runs with this idea, hinting at late-night adventures and dance floor oblivion with its phenomenal breakdown towards the end of the song. This track has the distinct honor of being the record’s closest attempt at a conventional pop song.
Violeta Castillo is a storyteller with unorthodox songwriting structures at her core. Observational and a bit neurotic, her singing teeters on the edge of spoken-word, like a porteña Suzanne Vega. While she regularly employs traditional synths and drum machines, to describe her music simply as synth pop ignores the complexities and experimental undertones she so carefully crafts. “Lo Que Todos Ven” is a great example of this adventurousness, built on dark and asymmetrical melodies reminiscent of vintage Depeche Mode. Even “Poca Claridad,” an oddly engaging composition featuring Dadalú, delves into warped hip-hop, juxtaposing it against fuzzy synth thumps.
Errorws de Tipeo perfectly captures the earnestness and joy that have made Violeta Castillo one of the brightest young stars of Argentina’s indie scene. If you’re already familiar with Castillo’s work, you will notice the wonderful growth of this young artist. If this is your first taste of her light-hearted quirky pop, Errorws de Tipeo is a great place to start.