Through a two decade career, Lourdes Pita has always worn her heritage like a well-loved bolero jacket—tailored with threads of Cuban exile poetry from her mother Juana Rosa, hemmed by years of street-corner strums and symphony flutes, and now, on her latest full-length Soul Dance, she’s letting it twirl into something freer, fiercer, and downright danceable. Dropped earlier this month on the artist’s own digital imprint, this 10-track collection marks her boldest pivot yet. It is a soulful fusion of her acoustic roots and rhythmic reinvention. If her 2023 Spanish-language stunner Lamento Cubano was a haunting barcarolle through family ghosts, Soul Dance is the joyous rumba that follows.
From the title track “Soul Dance” we are greeted with the sway of Lourdes Pita’s crystalline vocal as it glides over percolating beats and a warm hum of vibrant sound. The album sets its intention quickly. This is music for mending, for moving through the ache.
“Time to Shine” opens with a delicate piano melody with Lourdes Pita showing off her vocal talent. She belts out pure emotion to lead the track forward. This is one that would fit well in a broadway musical or in a quiet bedroom for someone that needs a motivational push. Beautiful songwriting.
“Holding On” is another pretty melody punctuated with vocals that empower as they glide through the speakers. The instrumentation takes some interesting twists and turns to set it apart from the basic mellow pop song. There is real depth here that builds throughout the song with a crescendo that will get the blood pumping.
The range of Lourdes Pita shines on the lead single “Coming Home.” The tempo is turned up a little from the rest of the album giving it that allure to a wide range of fans. There is clearly some influence from her flamenco-tinged youth. The musical range of “Part Of The Solution” shows even more of her power to alter genres as she sees fit. This one is equal parts rocker and mellow easy listening. She nails both sides of the equation here masterfully.
In an indie scene bloated with lo-fi confessions and synth-heavy escapes, Soul Dance by Lourdes Pita stands as a reminder that soul can be melded with any genre by a true songwriter. For fans of her flamenco-folk hybrids or anyone needing a sonic salve with swing, this is essential: slip it on, let the rhythm take hold,feel the emotion, and watch your own soul hit the dance floor.
