No es latina, ni electrónica, sólo un espíritu libre

Somehow it seems appropriate that singer-songwriter Juana Molina would be en route to a performance at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. After all, her music, like Warhol's art, defies conventions. Although influenced by folk rhythms of her native Argentina, her soundscapes incorporate acoustic guitars, traditional percussion and electronic effects; they are not Latin in the traditional sense.

As evidenced on her discs "Tres Cosas" (2004) and "Segundo" (2003), Molina's delicate ballads recall the ambient music of Euromasters Brian Eno and Robert Fripp or even American modernist John Cage. "I think they use the Latin label due to my language, but the music is not really Latin," said Molina from the road Wednesday. "To many listeners, I could sound like some Brazilian girls, I don't know. They might be confused." And contrary to many reports, she doesn't regard herself as an electronica artist, either. "I don't work like a typical electronic musician does. Though everything in my music comes from a pattern, I use the computer just as a means of recording music, just as a sound generator. I play everything live."

So when she performs Monday at HotHouse, don't expect to find Molina stationed behind banks of computers, in the manner of German electro-wizards Kraftwerk during the mid-ྌs. "I know nothing about technology," she said, laughing. "I could be missing something, but it's not my field. I hate to have to buy a new computer because mine is too old. I had to change my computer a month ago, and it was an ordeal." As for the Kraftwerk comparisons often tossed around in relation to her work, she said, "I wasn't a big fan of the group while I was growing up. I like them better now, thanks to Senor Coconut. That made me re-evaluate Kraftwerk." Senor Coconut? That's the stage name of German DJ and producer Uwe Schmidt, who fused German and Latin styles on the critically acclaimed disc "El Baile Aleman" (2000), by injecting tropical Latin beats into Kraftwerk's iconic songs. In any case, the music of Senor Coconut reveals an unconventional streak embraced by Molina. And other free spirits have in turn sought out her music. David Byrne invited her to join his tour last year, and then last fall, she performed with Argentine genre-bender Federico Aubele. As the crowning touch of a whirlwind year, New York Times writer Jon Pareles included Molina's "Tres Cosas" (Domino) on his top 10 list of best albums of 2004. With all the attendant acclaim, Molina feels that she has to top herself. "I have a little bit of pressure now. In the past, no one was thinking about me. But now that's changed. It's weird. Now I have to do a better record; that's a horrible feeling. I have to get completely inside my work and get to the music. It takes a long time to get there, but once I'm there, I'm not listening to the music, I am the music. When I get to that state, I need at least three weeks to go through the gap to be there. I'm not going to have that until August, when I return to Argentina to start work on my next record."

As with her last two discs, Molina will write and produce the entire project herself, and hopes for a release date in early 2006. She will begin with the music, because lyrics serve a secondary function in her work. "That's close to the truth, but not the truth," she said. "Lyrics always come last.

The whole song is there, but the lyrics will be missing. Because I grew up listening to foreign music, I didn't listen to the lyrics, ever. I have same approach to writing a song. I don't pay attention to others' lyrics, but I pay attention to mine. I don't want to embarrass myself. I take it seriously when I write, but [lyrics are] the last thing that comes."