Samantha Mora returns with "Luto," a kaleidoscopic, cumbia-fueled meditation on loss that dares to locate movement in mourning. Instead of languishing under the burden of sorrow, "Luto" hums with life, showing how grief and joy can sway together in the same breath.
"Luto" is Spanish for "mourning," which implies a sober ballad, but Samantha subverts the idea. She builds a lyric and a melody that are rhythmically rich and bittersweet, coming together to create an anthem encouraging you to sway through their feelings instead of being overtaken by them. Layering melancholy but deeply affirming lyrics over an intoxicating blend of R&B, pop, jazz, and traditional Mexican folk, Samantha delivers something of a rarity, an elegy you can dance to.
"There's a false belief that grief is something to 'get over,'" Samantha says. "But in reality, it becomes part of you. Luto is about allowing myself that duality, the pain and the love, the longing and the gratitude.'
"Luto" is a lush, hypnotic affair. The push-and-pull between Cumbia's signature percussive bounce and Samantha's velvet, emotive vocals creates a song that stays with you long after the last note has faded. It's a testament to her talent for crafting deeply personal stories amidst universally relatable soundscapes.
The mnemonic form finds its ultimate expression in "Luto." Mora doesn't merely grieve . She dances grief and transposes loss to movement, memory to melody. And in doing so, she gives us a song that feels as much a goodbye as a way of wrapping someone in your arms.