When singer-songwriter Ileana Cabra Joglar — better known as iLe — describes the definition of the Puerto Rican colloquialism that titles her latest album, “Nacarile,” she explains that the term refers to firmly rejecting a certain thought or idea.
“It’s about accepting those moments where you feel a little lost — embracing that, but not staying in that feeling. It’s like saying, ‘Thank you, I learned a lot, but no. I’m not going to stay there,’” she said via Sony Music Latin regarding the album’s release.
The impressive 11-track compilation comes in the wake of widespread demonstrations that swept the island in 2019 when protesters rallied against Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló's failed emergency response following Hurricane Maria. During the social uprising, iLe, alongside Residente (René Pérez Joglar, who is iLe’s brother and former Calle 13 bandmate) and Bad Bunny released “Afilando los Cuchillos” (“Sharpening the Knives”), a song that became the battlecry for the movement leading to the governor’s eventual resignation.
Hence, the spirit of “Nacarile” feels like an extension of that pivotal political moment fused with the multi-layered, anti-colonial feminist spirit that has guided iLe’s musical career. At the same time, some songs in the compilation, with their experimental nature, also offer a window into the fogginess of living and evolving amid a global pandemic and at a tumultuous time in our history.
“Algo Bonito” (“Something Beautiful”), a reggaeton-style track made in collaboration with the genre’s distinguished pioneer, Ivy Queen, is unapologetically bold and upbeat. The power duo staggers incisively metaphorical and combative lyrics with a catchy chorus against patriarchal forces on the backdrop of a military-style cadence:
“Se soltaron ya/Las yeguas del campo/Bajando cuestas/Curás de espanto/Lágrimas secas/Y sin quebranto/Grito que se vuelve canto” (“They are already released/The mares of the field/going downhill/cures of horror/dry tears/and without break/Scream that becomes a song.”)
The hip-swaying rhythms hold deep-seated strength that transcends song and becomes an anthem to liberate women from the oppressive silence in society.
“Donde nadie más Respira” (“Where no one else breathes”), released as a single in 2020 just before the election to replace Rosselló, opens with the sounds of an exasperated runner — immediately calling to mind the island’s oppressive state of political reality that is further tainted by its colonial past.
“Nos abrieron el tejido/Y desangraron la aldea/Degollaron las palabras/Para matarnos la idea” (“They opened the tissue/And they bled the village/They swallowed the words/To kill the idea”).
Yet, as the song progresses, it presents more hopeful lyrics that foreshadow the potential political change as an election nears:
“Se pensaron inmortales/Hasta que llegó su día/Que el sol nos dio de su fuego/Y la mar su valentía” (They thought they were immortal/Until his day came/That the sun gave us from its fire/And the sea its bravery).
In “Traguito,” a duet with Chilean singer and composer Mon Laferte, the two deliver sultry lyrics over an adaptation of Julia de Burgos’ poem, “Yo Misma Fui Mi Ruta” (“I Myself Was My Route”). Their rendition presents a feminist outlook on the poem’s verses over nostalgic acoustic guitars, countering the traditional portrayal of a woman who is “not easy” to love. The song’s bolero-inspired elements hearken to iLe’s 2012 rendition of “La Pared” (“The Wall”) and infuse the album with the deep-seated appreciation for the genre that has been central to her craft and a key element to all of her musical projects.
“Nacarile” is also tinged with an airiness provided by ballads such as “(Escapándome) De Mi” (“(Escaping) From Myself”) and ‘’No Es Importante” (“It’s Not Important”). Both speak of a lover’s vulnerability when gripped by powerful emotions and the disorderliness that ensues when things don’t work out. “En Cantos” (“In Songs”), the intriguing duet released in 2020 with Grammy Award-winning Mexican alt-rock and folk star Natalia La Fourcade, also forms part of the compilation.
“Nacarile” is a masterful representation of iLe’s consistent socially conscious artistry and an experimental tour of ballads, synth pop, boleros and reggaeton — alongside a power lineup of genre-bending musicians who are challenging the social and political status quo. As the album’s title alludes, listeners are reminded that as tough as the last few years have been among life’s ups and downs, finding hope and moving through the darkness is not only necessary, but an act of resistance.