It is always inspiring to meet an artist who can demystify his work while laughing at his quirks, no matter how sublime the result may be. Marina Herlop stands as one of those rare figures. A Catalan artist whose work blends electronic pop with abstract soundscapes, he speaks softly and lets the sounds carry much of the meaning. In interviews he often downplays his achievements, attributing many song elements to chance and resisting statements like “I don’t know how” or “it sounds cheesy.” This humility marks his approach to deep questions about his creative process.
Today Herlop is recognized as one of the most distinctive voices in the Spanish avant-garde, earning international attention for his latest album Pripyat, released by the Berlin label PAN. The record embodies an inner sanctuary of experimental tones. Pitchfork, a leading voice in contemporary music criticism, published a comprehensive feature, and the album tour in the United States drew praise from major outlets, including a write-up in The New Yorker and a highlight during Primavera Sound Los Angeles.
Herlop will perform tonight at LEV as the Visual Electronics and Extended Facts Festival returns to Madrid’s Slaughterhouse venue, bringing a sense of nocturnal energy to interpret Pripyat. The album marks a decisive shift from his earlier work, showcasing electronic complexity and a refined sound that sits at the intersection of modern classical influences and digital production. His path started with studies in piano at the conservatory, moving from his early orchestral projects to a broader exploration of music with the computer. The albums nanook (2016) and daddy (2018) leaned toward contemporary classical textures, while Pripyat centers on voice, piano, and selective sonic elements that define his current sound.
ELECTRONIC RETURN
This evolution began before the pandemic. In 2019 Herlop retreated to a family home in an Aragonese town to craft new material. He returned to the piano, recorded ideas on his iPhone, and started shaping them. The process proved challenging; he recalls listening back, disliking the sameness of voice and harmonies, and reevaluating his direction. He felt compelled to modernize his approach, embracing a production practice closer to what his generation was exploring, while maintaining a personal artistic voice.
He embraced the tools of digital creation, learning the necessary software and hardware to compose and supervise production from start to finish. The shift was surprisingly manageable, he notes, once the barrier of entry dissolved. The production world can feel like black magic to outsiders, but the essential truth is simple: there are just a few wires. The bigger challenge lay ahead: harnessing that power responsibly. With abundance at hand, it was easy to overdo it, risking a loss of clarity by piling sounds atop sounds.
In this experimental sprint, the notion of building a house with unplanned stones emerged as a metaphor for his process. Since the debut album, Herlop has sung sounds rather than words, using his voice as an instrument. On Pripyat he pushed this idea further by incorporating a vocal technique from South India called konnakol, learned at ESMUC in Barcelona. This syllable-based percussion results in a hypnotic abstraction that transforms singing into a rhythmic landscape.
The artist explains that lyrics are not the sole focus for him. He does not feel the need to convey a narrative through words alone. The ideas that arise during composition act as crutches or springboards toward the sonic object he wants to create. While he respects descriptive music and traditional pop, he feels overwhelmed by the saturation of imagery in contemporary culture. His aim is purer music, pure sound, and a deliberate choice to let the sound itself carry meaning.
“The issue with lyrics often reflects my eccentricity and a reluctance to write them. But I still want to tell a small story when necessary.”
Heralded for shedding weight with new work, Herlop openly acknowledges the peculiarities of his vocal approach. He refuses to defend every choice, embracing the risk that comes with originality. A recent reflection hints at a willingness to explore lyrics again with new material, hoping to find a path out of self-imposed constraints.
If Pripyat is named for the ghost town near the Chernobyl nuclear plant, the journey behind it was anything but easy. The pandemic disrupted the release plan, and a slow, deliberate negotiation with the label stretched over nearly three years. At one point even a visit to a Reiki practitioner proved unexpectedly helpful. The artist jokes about reading astrology but remains focused on music’s core purpose: to serve sound.
In spite of the industry’s twists and turns, Herlop’s confidence as an artist has grown. Since his early collaborations and his first album on a prestigious pianist’s label in 2016, he has learned to be more assertive and clear in his communication without losing his unique voice. In an era where music can be produced and shared from home, he believes the route to respectful professional connections lies in authenticity and restraint.
Other aesthetics
Marina Herlop has reached the destination he sought through persistent effort, earning enthusiastic critical support and embarking on international tours. The artist plans a European tour in October and November, opening for other bands and collaborating with colleagues. His distinctive approach suggests a future filled with collaborations and continued experimentation on larger stages.
Herlop’s presence at events like Matadero tonight signals a new phase. He expects the performance to be more about enjoyment and engagement with the audience, a contrast to the more formal premieres of the past. He will wear one of his characteristic outfits—an interplay of futuristic couture and playful elegance—reflecting his willingness to push fashion boundaries as part of his artistic language. Designers Georgiela and Manuel Bolano, based in Barcelona, have contributed to this look, underscoring his belief that fashion can be a partner in music, not merely a backdrop.
As the night unfolds, the ensemble will feature minimalist electronic music along with works from acclaimed innovators such as Alva Noto and Sinjin Hawke. The program aims not for a traditional dance night but for an experience that challenges the boundaries of contemporary sound and form. Marina Herlop serves as a guide to one possible direction in which modern music can travel.