From having one of the most memorable albums (and most memorable album covers) of 2012 to producing three tracks on Kanye West’s Yeezus, Alejandro Ghersi, a.k.a. Arca, is on track to be one of the most intriguing new acts of 2013.

And that’s not without warrant. His signature brand of atmospheric hip-hop and dub, spiced with cut-up vocals, throbbing bass, and keenly saturated arpeggios is immediately unique, even to those few already familiar with similar techniques in what’s now being called the “post-Internet Underground.”

In a manner vaguely reminiscent of Oneohtrix Point Never’s voice-splicing tricks on Replica or even his often-overlooked Eccojams, Arca employs staccato vocal cuts to add a tangentially human element to his cool, spacious arrangements, at once recalling a collage of images without coalescing around a singular one. In no time at all, &&&&& forms its own heady environment, replete with kitchen-sink beats and ephemeral synths.

In short, this could be the most vivid album you’ll hear all year that sometimes sounds like it has reverbed cat meows. It’s also the free-est album you’ll hear all year that sometimes sounds like it has reverbed cat meows. But where would the internet be without cats?

Recommended if you like: Oneohtrix Point Never, BODYGUARD, Fatima Al Qadiri
Check out: A free download of the whole album