Rio en Medio

This article is about the American musician. For the census-designated place, see Rio en Medio, New Mexico.
Rio en Medio
Rio en Medio performing in 2007
Rio en Medio performing in 2007
Background information
Birth nameDanielle Stech-Homsy
BornNew Mexico
OriginBrooklyn, New York City, United States
GenresNew Weird America
Freak folk
Years active2007–2015
LabelsGnomonsong, Manimal Vinyl, Womens Work Recordings
Websitewww.daniellestech-homsy.com

Danielle Stech-Homsy, known by her pseudonym Rio en Medio (Spanish for river in between), is an American singer and baritone ukulelist.[1]

Career

Stech-Homsy was born in New Mexico, and was raised in California and Arizona.[2] Later, she moved to Brooklyn.[3] She began to perform and record original compositions, eventually recording The Bride of Dynamite (originally titled A Bride's Guide to Waiting Music).[4] A friend passed the record to Devendra Banhart who soon requested to release it on his label (Gnomonsong).[2][3] Since her debut release in early 2007, Stech-Homsy has worked with artists such as Grizzly Bear, CocoRosie, Brightblack Morning Light, Vetiver, Patrick Wolf, Vashti Bunyan, Tim Fite and Banhart.[3][5]

In 2008, Stech-Homsy recorded a cover of "Pictures of You" by The Cure for Perfect as Cats: A Tribute to The Cure.[6]

Rio en Medio's third album, Peace Sequence, was released in 2013 on the label Womens Work Recordings.[7]

Musical style

Overall, Stech-Homsy's music falls into the freak folk genre.[8] Writing for Pitchfork, Matthew Murphy described The Bride of Dynamite as "ethereal" with "delicate" vocals, but concluded it was overall "halting, hesitant baby steps" for Stech-Homsy.[1] Later, Joshua Klein wrote that her second album, Frontier, is "indulgent and confounding" and "part cosmic fun house, part haunted house".[9]

Discography

Albums

  • The Bride of Dynamite (2007)
  • Frontier (2008)
  • Peace Sequence (2012)
  • Rio en Medio Radio (2015)

Singles

  • 2008: "Fall Up"/"Heartless"
  • 2008: "Let's Groove"/"Staying Alive"

References

  1. ^ a b Murphy, Matthew (13 March 2007). "Rio en Medio: The Bride of Dynamite". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Gnomonsong Artists: Rio en Medio". Gnomonsong. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Rio en Medio - San Francisco, CA - on Thu Feb 26, 2009 at Hemlock Tavern". www.sanjose.com. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Rio en Medio". WW Recordings. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Rio En Medio - Peace Sequence". Piccadilly Records. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Song Details". www.umusicpub.com. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Music". Danielle Stech-Homsy. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  8. ^ "The Other Music Update". othermusic.com. 15 February 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  9. ^ Klein, Joshua (5 March 2009). "Rio en Medio: Frontier". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 January 2024.