MUSIC

Molina Releases Dark New Single “Parásito”

The new release features a engrossing fusion of New Wave and indie synth-pop.

Alex Carlyle

Molina's new release "Parásito" is a haunting track, bringing '80s energy to a darkly modern synth-pop sound.

The single—the newest off her upcoming EPm Vanilla Shell, out in November—is familiar territory for the Danish-Chilean artist's small discography—Molina's singles to date make the most of this formula, the tightly-wound New Wave-ness wrapped around Molina's shadowy charisma. It's a compelling combination, as her lyrics about desire and heartbreak are enlivened with a lushly-constructed production. Especially here on "Parásito," Molina sounds a bit like Nico poured through the sieve of 2010s electropop: a dark and engrossing performance set comfortably in a synth soundscape.

But "Parásito" is Molina's first song sung in Spanish, a deliberate choice that changes the tone of the song: "The drama in the language makes it easier and more natural for me to be extrovert[ed] and emotional," Molina herself says. Compared to her other singles, which are a little more fragmented and abstract in their storytelling, the lyricism of "Parásito" is more straightforward, more present in its longing. The creepy bassline, the ambient clouds of sound, Molina's echoing voice: They all make Molina's want sound even more foreboding, as she turns her lover into the only thing that can sate her hunger. The song's still suffused with desire, but there's a sense of tragedy.

Molina's made herself a main character in this small drama, and her willingness to construct that drama for the listener spells an exciting future for the up-and-coming singer.