Tarta Relena

Tarta Relena is a vocal duo formed by Marta Torrella and Helena Ros. They explore the tradition and history of a cappella music, blending traditional Mediterranean songs with contemporary compositions. Their repertoire includes various languages, including Catalan, Spanish, Italian, Latin and Ladino, and reflects the Mediterranean and its cultural diversity.

Their work for The Oracle takes the form of a special concert on the evening of 6 June. Unlike other practices, music can only be preserved through recording or in memory. It was decided that even though they will perform only once, their work is equally integral to the texture of the exhibition as those who will hear it, will take it with them, recalling and recounting their experience, creating a work in itself through their voices.

Their music weaves together sacred and secular themes, utilising both traditional vocal techniques and modern electronic elements, making a point on the dissolution of the binaries that separate certain types of music, tunes and genres from others. The ancient and the contemporary are synchronised in their work, since to reinterpret ancient melodies is to interpret the past in order to search for new meanings and new languages with which to face the future.

The duo's most known releases include Pack Pro Nobis (2020), a compilation of their first two EPs, that showcase their initial foray into blending traditional songs with modern interpretations; Fiat Lux (2021), their debut full-length album, praised for its intricate vocal harmonies and subtle electronic textures; and És pregunta (2024), a concept album that explores themes of fate and human nature, featuring songs in multiple languages and drawing from various Mediterranean traditions.