Francesca Belmonte makes exactly the kind of music that her name suggests: smoky, regal, haunting freak pop that belongs in a New Orleans brothel. Belmonte got her start singing on several Tricky tracks, and her debut album Anima is out June 2 on Tricky's False Idols label. The original version of "Are You" is a slow, stripped-down number that shows her at her most searing—"Everyone has experienced suffering… from the homeless to the privileged. 'Are You' is for the people," Belmonte says.Canadian producer Bwana flips the track for dungeon raves, kicking up the tempo and adorning it with acid-tinged synths. "Writing this remix was a lot of fun," Bwana shares. "I was already very excited about it from just hearing the original. However, once I got the stems and heard the power of Francesca's isolated vocals, things got really interesting. This remix went through a few versions before it was decided to just let the acid roll. Like a lot of my stuff, there's a nice switch up mid-way through. I think it should make for some nice moments in the club."Anima is out June 2. Pre-order it here.Follow Michelle Lhooq on Twitter
Advertisement