Federico Aubele: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Argentine singer-songwriter Federico Aubele uses his dark, husky voice to produce a specific effect in the three songs he performs at this Tiny Desk Concert: Together, they jell into one impressionistic midtempo ballad.

A voice like Aubele's could be restrictive: His lower register seems to always reflect something dark and lonely. Think of your favorite bottom-scraping vocalist and the lyrics he or she interprets.

But while touches of nostalgia and longing seep into both the words and the way he sings them, Aubele can also wrangle a shy smile and a whimsical raised eyebrow with that deep, emotive voice. It's perfect for his own expressive lyrics, which he sings in both Spanish and English — sometimes in the same song. And don't even get me started on his guitar playing. --FELIX CONTRERAS

Set List

"Laberinto Del Ayer"
"This Song"
"Somewhere Else"

Credits

Producers: Felix Contreras, Denise DeBelius; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Gabriella Garcia-Pardo, Olivia Merrion; photo by Jim Tuttle/NPR