KLK (song)

"KLK" (abbreviation of "Keloké"; a Spanish and Latin American colloquial expression for "What's Up?") is a song recorded by Venezuelan musician Arca featuring vocals by Spanish new flamenco singer Rosalía. Written by both of the performers in Barcelona, Spain, the track was released on June 22, 2020 through XL Recordings and Columbia Records as the fourth single of Arca's fourth studio album Kick I.

"KLK"
Single by Arca and Rosalía
from the album Kick I
LanguageSpanish
English title"What's Up"
ReleasedJune 22, 2020
RecordedSeptember 17 – December 2018
Genre
Length3:47
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Arca
  • Cardopusher
Arca singles chronology
"Mequetrefe"
(2020)		 "KLK"
(2020)		 "Knot"
(2020)
Rosalía singles chronology
"TKN"
(2020)		 "KLK"
(2020)

Background

Arca and Rosalía have hung out multiple times. Their friendship started in 2018 when Arca discovered the Spanish singer through her hit single "Malamente" and saw her set at the Sónar music festival.[1] In April 2019, during an Instagram livestream, Arca teased a song called "KLK" and stated "I can't wait to put this record out, oh my god".[2] The couple of friends were seen in public again at Frank Ocean's PrEP+ Party in New York City, where the Venezuelan played a special DJ set.[3][4] In November 2019, Rosalía sampled Arca's voice as an interlude to transition from "A Palé" to "Con Altura" during her performance at the 2019 Latin Grammy Awards.[5]

On March 8, 2020, Arca revealed to Garage Magazine that her new album would be released in 2020 and that would feature collaborations with Björk and Rosalía among others, confirming the participation of the Spanish new flamenco artist in her fourth studio album.[6] On June 21, Arca and Rosalía had an Instagram live conversation in where they discussed the track and previewed it. Without any anticipation, "KLK" was released on digital download and different streaming platforms the day after along with its instrumental version.[7]

Composition

The track was first recorded in Barcelona on September 17, 2018 and was lyric empty.[8] To fill the song with lyrics but, since the Spanish singer was promoting her second studio album in Madrid and Miami, her vocals were sent to the Venezuelan musician through a WhatsApp voicenote. Thus, the song has partly been recorded on iPhone.[9] "KLK" was also produced by Venezuelan musician Luis Garban, who goes under the stage name Cardopusher. Garban and Arca became close in high school back in the day.

About "KLK", Arca explains that it is inspired by traditional Venezuelan music, specifically on an instrument called furruco: “Venezuelan music has always been with me, and I am grateful that I have studied some of the typical styles of Venezuelan music. I always think of the furruco when I program a subbass. It is an indigenous instrument of Venezuela that is played with friction, you rub a stick hooked from the leather of a large drum and it has a super infra sub bass, it marks the pulse of the bagpipe, a style of music typical of Venezuela".[10]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[11]

  • Alejandra Ghersi – producer, composer
  • Rosalía – lyricist
  • Cardopusher – producer, composer
  • Alex Epton – mixer, studio personnel

Track listing
  • Digital download – streaming
  1. "KLK" – 3:47
  2. "KLK" (Instrumental) – 3:47

Release history
Country Date Format Label
Various June 22, 2020
XL Recordings
gollark: I mean, it's in giant turqoisey brush font, and not a spreadsheet or something.
gollark: I just read the rainbow massbreed document. I like the idea... but aaargh my eyes that document is so annoyingly formatted.
gollark: Pretty sure christmasses are genderlocked anyway?
gollark: And they'll try and sell you stuff for *next* Christmas.
gollark: Even after Christmas there'll still be Christmassy adverts and stuff.

References
  1. "Rosalía vuelve al estudio de grabación con otro invitado muy especial | Noticias". El Quinto Beatle (in Spanish). 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  2. Georgiev, Nikolay (April 15, 2019). "Arca Playing New Music on Instagram Live". YouTube. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  3. Kornhaber, Spencer (2019-10-22). "What Frank Ocean's PrEP+ Party Understood". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  4. Staff (2019-10-25). "Rosalía y Arca juntas en la última fiesta PrEP+ de Frank Ocean". Revista Marvin (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  5. "Rosalía usa un 'sample' de Arca en los Latin Grammy". CusicaPlus (in Spanish). 2019-11-15. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  6. "Arca Details New Album 'KiCk i' Featuring Rosalía & Björk". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  7. Moreland, Quinn. "Arca and Rosalía Link Up for New Song "KLK"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2020-06-22.
  8. "Get to Know Rosalía, the Spanish Singer Giving Flamenco's Age-Old Sound a Bracingly Modern Twist". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  9. Music, Rosalía (June 21, 2020). "Hablan de cómo surgió 'KLK' y de que Rosalía grabó su parte desde su propio iPhone". Twitter. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  10. "Arca publica 'KLK', su bailable tema con Rosalía". jenesaispop.com (in Spanish). 2020-06-22. Retrieved 2020-06-22.
  11. Rap Or Go To The League / 2 Chainz – TIDAL
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