Alcachofa (album)

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Alcachofa
Alcachofa (album).jpeg
Studio album by
Ricardo Villalobos
ReleasedSeptember 19, 2003
Genre
Length77:36 (CD)
67:37 (vinyl)
Label Playhouse
Producer Ricardo Villalobos
Ricardo Villalobos chronology
Alcachofa
(2003)		 Thé Au Harem D'Archimède
(2004)

Alcachofa is the first studio album released by Chilean-German producer Ricardo Villalobos on the German house label Playhouse on September 19, 2003. The album cemented Villalobos's place in the vanguards of microhouse and minimal techno.

Contents

The vinyl edition contains an alternative track listing, as "What You Say Is More Than I Can Say" was already released in its full version on the EP Halma. "La Raja", "Quizás" and "Fusion the Enemies" remain exclusive to vinyl, while CD cuts "Waiworinao" and "Fools Garden" were later released on vinyl as part of the EP Alcachofa Tools. "Y.G.H." remains exclusive to the CD pressing.

In 2015, Villalobos would re-issue "Easy Lee" and "Dexter" on his Sei Es Drum label as a 12 in (300 mm) vinyl.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]
Pitchfork 8.1/10 [4]
Stylus Magazine A [5]

Andy Kellman of AllMusic commented that Villalobos "is in complete control of his machines at all times, and he makes them do strange things that no one else can." [3]

New York placed Alcachofa at #6 on the Top Albums of the 2003. [6] Pitchfork placed Alcachofa at #165 on The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s. [7] Resident Advisor voted Alcachofa at #1 on the Top 100 Albums of the 2000s. [8] Stylus Decade placed Alachofa at #73 on the Top Albums of the 2000s. [9]

In 2025, Resident Advisor ranked it third in their list of "The Best Electronic Records 2000–25"; contributor Carlos Hawthorn called it "a minimal house and techno album of infinite subtlety and elegance; a suite of vocoder gems, guitar jams, deep-in-the-night tearjerkers and free-flying loops that still have us under their spell today. The LP inspired a movement and unmasked the scene's hottest new DJ as a virtuoso composer." [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ricardo Villalobos.

CD track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Easy Lee"10:06
2."Y.G.H."8:16
3."Bahaha hahi"7:35
4."I Try to Live (Can I Live)"9:21
5."Waiworinao"8:10
6."Theogenese"9:19
7."What You Say Is More Than I Can Say (edit)"8:02
8."Dexter"9:05
9."Fools Garden (Black Conga)"7:42

Vinyl edition

On vinyl, sides A, B, D and F are at 45 RPM, while sides C and E play at 33+1⁄3 RPM.

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Easy Lee"10:09
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Theogenese"9:21
Side C
No.TitleLength
1."Bahaha hahi"7:39
2."La Raja"6:02
Side D
No.TitleLength
1."I Try to Live (Can I Live)"9:25
Side E
No.TitleLength
1."Quizás" ("Perhaps")7:27
2."Fusion the Enemies"7:23
Side F
No.TitleLength
1."Dexter"9:11

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ Vice Staff (14 July 2015). "The 99 Greatest Dance Albums of All Time". Vice . Retrieved 20 June 2025. [Villalobos'] first artist album established him as a minimal techno pioneer.
  2. 1 2 Hawthorn, Carlos; Szatan, Gabriel; Almedia, Rachel Grace (11 December 2025). "The Best Electronic Records of 2000-25". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  3. 1 2 Kellman, Andy. "Alcachofa – Ricardo Villalobos". AllMusic . Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  4. ↑ Plagenhoef, Scott (September 18, 2003). "Villalobos: Alcachofa". Pitchfork . Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  5. ↑ Burns, Todd (September 4, 2003). "Villalobos – Alcachofa – Review". Stylus Magazine . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  6. ↑ Brown, Ethan (2004-01-05). Top Albums of 2003 New York . Retrieved 2010-07-15.
  7. ↑ Pitchfork staff (September 28, 2009). "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200-151". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  8. ↑ (2010-01-25). RA Poll: Top 100 Albums of the '00s Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
  9. ↑ Top Albums 80-61 Archived 2010-01-11 at the Wayback Machine Stylus Decade. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
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