M¥SS KETA

The third album by M¥SS KETA is eccentric right from the title and has a tough mission. After “CLUB TOPPERIA” (2022) and the double platinum of “Finimondo,” the enthusiasm has cooled down, partly because the offering no longer has the explosive force of the past—like that of “Milano sushi e coca” or “Xananas”—and partly because the character, or rather the mask, has been presented to a general or out-of-target audience that hasn’t grasped its parodic dimension or, even worse, has taken it painfully seriously. The mission of this album is to reignite the spark, especially in anticipation of new live performances, which have always been the ideal dimension for the “blonde who abounds.”

The three tracks that preceded the album haven’t dispelled doubts. “NEVROTIKA” (you do know, right?, that it’s all in capslock…) and “VOGLIONO ESSERE ME” lack the power of the irreverent anthems where “the Gabibbo and a prostitute” appeared, even though they could have come out of “PAPRIKA,” while “160 BPM,” a dark, tormented, and hallucinatory dance track with witch-house references and many Crystal Castles influences, is much more convincing but shifts the center of gravity significantly. Releasing it as the last single before the album’s publication left some uncertainty about what to expect from the rest of the tracklist. Here’s the answer: “.” is an album (almost) without features, very danceable, blending darksynth, synthwave, electro, fidget, and witch-house. It takes us directly back to the independent early works while simultaneously aiming straight for the dance halls, the night, and a desperate, caricatured hedonism that she has explored before venturing into the mainstream.

The rapped introduction "LEI" makes it clear that the titular artist wants to return to her sharp edges, and while "LES MISÉRABLES" feels like an attempt at a hit that doesn’t quite land, "CAFONAL" successfully recaptures the mix of pop culture, kitsch, and decadent hedonism: “Comizi pasoliniani tra drag queen e democristiani.”

But the Fiat Punto on the cover shifts into high gear with the cougar anthem "DIVORZIATA" (“Prendo il Rolex, non mi credi?”) and accelerates full throttle with "IT GIRL," where Riva, head of production and the ace even for the less thrilling tracks, lets loose: trumpeting sounds, gunshots, and distorted beats while the Ketian hallucination reaches its peak, between “Cicciolina Craxi Driver” and a bitter realization.

How this can coexist with the weird and kawaii of "M¥SS KETA ♥ PEGASO" is part of the titular artist’s eccentricity. Though half-hidden, there’s actually a vocal collaboration: that of actress and TV personality Vera Gemma on "VENDETTA," the most hip-hop track of the bunch, deafening and distorted.

“.” is a short album, perhaps too short, that veers away from the simpler “CLUB TOPPERIA” and stains its sound black rather than aligning it even more with hits. In short, it’s on par with “PAPRIKA” yet different—an evolution of the project that seems better suited to preserving the eccentricity and creativity of the formula. The cover, moreover, is a masterpiece of bad taste.

(This article’s English version was produced with AI-assisted translation)

21/01/2025