Mabe Fratti: Pushing Sonic Boundaries
Upon discovery of the cellist and composer, Mabe Fratti, I entered a new sonic landscape I had never experienced before. I was immediately captivated by her use of the cello and effects pedals alongside synthesizer and heavily processed guitar. The textures and atmospheres that she creates through this experimentation with dissonance and distortion, along with other effects, are absolutely incredible. While I listen I feel as if I am guided through a unique musical experience, one that is not driven by a drum beat or rhythm section but instead by the cello, voice, and guitar. I began to dive deeper into her work and musical practices through interviews. I was able to find insight into the concepts of her released work and more details on her process. I learned a little bit about her life and experiences becoming a professional musician. While doing my research, I also stumbled upon a project with Mabe Fratti and her latest collaborator, Concepción Huerta, where they released a Kontakt library alongside Spitfire Audio while recording their newest EP. I have used Spitfire Audio instruments and finding this personal connection was a really exciting moment for me; I hope to potentially use this library in the future. As an electronic producer and instrumentalist, myself, Mabe Fratti’s eclectic use of both modern technology and traditional musical instruments inspires me to continue with an integrated approach and an open mind.
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Listening and watching Mabe Fratti’s songs unfold live is truly mesmerizing. When we listened to Mabe Fratti’s piece “Nadie Sabe'' and watched the performance video I was completely enamored with Fratti and her fellow performers. Their combined musicality, dynamics, and exchanging of parts created a complex listening experience. Fratti sings and plays cello alongside an electric guitarist and synthesist. This is not too different from configurations that I’ve played with, with the exception of cello. I am usually drawn to higher range voices that mix well with textural sounds of synths and guitars. Immediately I felt compelled to do more research and begin to follow this artist's journey. I listened to her second album, “Será que ahora podremos entendernos” - which features the piece that we listened to in class. Then I found a performance video of them in Fact Magazine. They performed for a series known as Patch Notes, where she and fellow musicians presented three songs from the album in a building designed by the prolific painter and artist, Diego Rivera. The building has an impressive and enchanting design. In the interview by Fact Magazine. Mabe Fratti states, “The building has three floors, the first is called “underworld”, the second “earth” and the third “heaven”. Each floor has a specific character, specific pieces, and symbols on the walls and ceilings.” I kept this in mind while viewing the performance and I believe that it really influenced the performance by the musicians. Fratti goes on to explain that they selected the underworld level for their performance as it had featured an “altar” and was the “only space that Diego Rivera saw constructed before he died.” There is an ominous and ethereal quality to the first piece that they perform, which matches the aesthetic of the space. I was transported there with them. The stones and dim lighting created a sense of heaviness, while the distortion of the guitar and cello emitted sounds of struggle, chaos, movement and, finally, catharsis. I can only imagine the energy and emotions that were flowing through these musicians when they performed in a beautiful venue with so much meaning. Diego Rivera’s work often was in the name of liberation, and the empowerment of the working class and fellow artists. ​​”It was planned as a ‘City for the Arts’ that would encompass painting, dance, music, theatre, crafts and ecology” (Fact Magazine). It makes sense that these artists would find hope and inspiration within this context, since artists still face similar issues today that they did then. Creating an “altar” space denotes a sense of sacredness, peace and acceptance, that can be hard to find in the external world. Fratti’s compositions were sonic offerings of pure expression and freedom. I hope that what I felt while listening was similar to what the artists intended.
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After finishing the article in Fact Magazine and watching the full performance video, I craved to know more. I found a wonderful article from Pitchfork reviewing the same album at length. The author of the review, Colin Lodewick, had some fantastic things to say about the work that I would have to agree with rather heavily. He states, “the record blooms with ecstatic synth riffs and unselfconscious bowing, capturing the sound of a mind buzzing at the threshold of some great vision.” I couldn’t put it any better myself; the combination of the Moog Grandmother synth lines and their dynamic interactions with the distorted and sometimes dissonant bowing are truly able to embody an unrest mind. Although, when I hear Mabe Fratti begin to sing, I find that it grounds and soothes the feeling of unrest, a lovely contrast. Two great examples of this are the songs “Mil Formas De Decirlo” and “Hacia el Vacio” where the synth and distorted cello parts create the feelings of unease and sorrow, though the voice finds its way to calm and soothe the listener in contrast to the instrumental parts. The Pitchfork article compares Fratti’s process and delivery as “alchemizing” which is quite accurate. There is a sense of total presence and indescribable magic that she brings to her arrangements and performances. There is a balanced contrast between space and complexity. I too like to lose myself in my process in the same way that she describes as “surrender.” It’s almost a form of meditation. I can lose myself for hours while making a patch on my modular synthesizer, or while programming drums. After I had felt that I had a thorough exploration of Mabe Fratti’s music, I wanted to learn more about her personal life and process.
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During my research, I managed to find a fantastic article titled. “Mabe Fratti on Finding Liberation in Mexico City” by Rebecca Wilson. Wilson interviews Mabe Fratti and throughout the article discusses the music but does not make it her focus, instead she focuses more on Fratti’s experiences, influences, and her process. Improvisation seems to be a large part of Mabe Fratti’s process, after she began an artist’s residency in CDMX 6 years ago. In the interview Fratti states, “for me it’s about listening, not being so immersed in yourself. It’s not about one person, but multiple people responding to each other, becoming aware of what’s going on around them. The important thing is that you connect and converse. You don’t need to know an instrument.” This is something that really resonated with me. I was unable to really play an instrument until about three or four years ago. While I was learning, I would play with some of my friends and my current partner, but I remember really overthinking improvisation. This is still something that I struggle with today, because sometimes it’s difficult to translate musical ideas into actions. I think that many artists want to express the best versions of themselves, but sometimes that motivation itself can get in the way of truly accessing something authentic. Reading this quote was definitely reassuring.
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Another aspect of Fratti’s artistic development was her liberation from an evangelical and conservative upbringing. She struggled to find a music scene until she moved to Mexico City. I too grew up in a conservative city, with a limited access to underground and experimental music. Although my parents weren’t religious, I definitely had to create my own space with a small group of friends in our rural town. Moving to a larger city like San Diego has expanded my community, my influences, and allowed me to connect with people who I can learn from and grow with artistically.
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After I first discovered Spitfire Audio I became obsessed with their plug-ins and Kontakt libraries, so when I learned that Mabe Fratti & Concepción Huerta had designed an instrument library in collaboration with Spitfire Audio, I was quickly intrigued. “Estática combines the organic, natural forces of Fratti’s haunting cello, analog synths and vocals with Huerta’s experimental use of tape, pedals and heavy processing to create an atmospheric and almost supernatural quality” (Spitfire Audio). The library consists of 32 presets, split into four sections: cello, tape, warps and vocals. These presets were created at the same time as the recording of Fratti’s EP, and have 8 controls including expression, dynamics, and reverb, for ultimate customization. What’s really exciting to me about this collaboration is how closely artists get to work with technology companies like Spitfire. Not only do they get to create instrument libraries based on their own creativity, but they create the possibility of collaboration with people that would have never been able to access it before.
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People like myself, who are still somewhat new to the world of music and production, need to have role models like Mabe Fratti. She is unabashedly herself, makes bold decisions based on experimentation, and does not follow a traditional path of “success.” Her sound is her own, and these aspects of her music and personality give hope to future generations of artists. I want to innovate in my own instruments and capabilities, especially within music technology. I have an interest in performing original compositions, but I want to work on developing my sound first. I have found passion in education and experimentation with modular synthesis. Fratti has shown that improvisation can be a wonderful songwriting tool, as well as working with others, and I wish to work on both. I want to inspire young minds who have an interest in electronic music by bringing in new methods, processes and tools that haven’t been popularized yet. So many young people today can confidently operate computers and phones, yet there still seems to be a gap between making music with the same tools. My hope is that people will realize that both traditional and modern tools can create something entirely new.
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Works Cited
Audio, Spitfire. “Mabe Fratti and Concepción Huerta - Estática.” Spitfire Audio - Mabe
Fratti and Concepción Huerta - Estática, Spitfire Audio, https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/mabe-fratti-and-concepcion-huerta-estatica/.
Fact. “Patch Notes: Mabe Fratti.” Fact Magazine, Fact Magazine, 30 Sept. 2021,
https://www.factmag.com/2021/09/16/patch-notes-mabe-fratti/.
Lodewick, Colin. “Mabe Fratti: Será Que Ahora Podremos Entendernos.” Pitchfork, Pitchfork, 7
July 2021,
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/mabe-fratti-sera-que-ahora-podremos-entendernos/.
Morales, Diego. “INTERVIEW: MABE FRATTI’S NEW
EXPERIMENTAL INDIE ALBUM IS A PROFOUND SEARCH FOR HUMAN CONNECTION.” Atwood Magazine, Atwood Magazine, 30 June 2021, https://atwoodmagazine.com/mfmf-mabe-fratti-interview-music-sera-que-ahora-podremos-entendernos-2021/.
Wilson, Rebecca. “Mabe Fratti on Finding Liberation in Mexico City.” Sounds and
Colours, Sounds and Colours, 4 Nov. 2021, https://soundsandcolours.com/subjects/music/mabe-fratti-guatemala-mexico-62907/.