Besides some scattered collabs in the past year, we last heard from La Mala Rodríguez on 2013’s Bruja, a bold and wise record with stellar songs that reflect on Mala’s growth as an artist. We’re close to two years without any new material from Rodríguez, but the wait is over–she has come out with a surprise track for her fans.
Thus far in her career, La Mala’s beats have stayed relatively calm and organic, usually consisting of jazz, funk, and rock samples or old school minimalist 4/4 loops. This time, La Mala has delved into something very different. For “Mátale,” she has recruited producer Steve Lean from Spanish crew Pxxr Gvng, who are slowly becoming purple powerhouses in their own right, as well as mainstays on festivals like Sónar. So understandably, she has gone trap and it suits her style quite well. She’d already shared a song featuring this collaboration in the form of lyrical showcase “Egoísta.” Now the artists have released another track, and it’s fire.
The collaboration between La Mala Rodríguez and Pxxr Gang has become tighter this time. “Mátale” not only has another Steve Lean beat, it also features Gvng member D. Gómez delivering an auto-tuned verse. It might seem like she’s inhabiting their world rather than her own; however, La Mala owns this, sing-rapping and giving us a no-nonsense hook, delivering rhymes with her usual level of introspection. She even sings on the track, in a sort of Arabic/canto jondo style, her voice emotive and beautiful. In short, Rodríguez uses “Mátale” to show everything she’s capable of, while simultaneously ushering in a new era for her music.