Magdalena Abrego releases solo debut Xolo after leaving Deerlady
Recorded in Brooklyn, the album features contributions from bass clarinetist Allison Burik and pianist Sonya Belaya and is available only on Bandcamp.
Guitarist Magdalena Abrego has released Xolo, her first solo recording, following her departure from indie rock duo Deerlady. The album explores loss and is currently available to buy and stream exclusively through Bandcamp.
Abrego recorded Xolo in Brooklyn, contributing singing, guitar, synthesizer, electronics and ocarina alongside personal field recordings. Bass clarinetist Allison Burik and pianist Sonya Belaya are the only other musicians featured.
The record takes its name from the xoloitzcuintli dog breed, which represents passage into the afterlife in Mexican culture. In a statement about the album, Abrego described connection as something people must actively sustain and protect. She also framed sharing her experiences publicly as resistance to pressures to endure suffering alone, and reflected on how earlier generations remain present through care and inherited gestures.
Raised in Chicago by immigrant parents, Abrego studied guitar performance at the New England Conservatory of Music and later joined its faculty. Before pursuing the solo release, she was one of Deerlady's two members.
