SIMBIOSE

"Out the blue, love came rushing through, out of the sky, came the sun". These Roxy Music lyrics on "Out of the Blue", ring certainly true on this wonderful discovery. Scouring dozens of bands weekly can be quite the grind, and when a petulant bass guitar reaches out and grabs my earlobe, I get quite excited. And when it happens to be also from Brazil, the rest of my senses start dancing as well. Arcpelago released this debut in 2016, flying well below my radar until it landed in my collection by pure luck. A quartet featuring four talented artists, guitarist Eduardo Marcolino, Renato Rodrigues on keyboards and vocals, drummer Renato Navega and the afore mentioned master of the rubbery four string monster, Jorge Carvalho. What makes this album so special, beyond the vintage keyboard arsenal at their disposal , all the usual suspects, well known figures in the prog mob is the symphonic nature of their style, very 70s with heady doses of Floyd, Eloy, PFM etc?

Hypnotized into rapt obedience in following the omnipresent bass line from the outset, "Sopro Vital" takes an 11- minute swaying joyride into a driving and uncompromising groove, with blossoming exhortations from Rodrigues and Marcolino , sprinkled with enough twists and turns to foment revolution (LOL). Rambling organ structures, prickly and crisp electric guitar sprawls, and the obligatory shifting speeds and moods keep the thrill meter dial in the red zone. The dreamy and echo-laden vocals exude a well-meaning expansion to the track, as a springboard to an even more elaborate conclusion, where the bass leaps out in Wetton-like solidity, guiding the delirious lead guitar into sublime realms , putting the piece to bed with a jazzy final swirl.

"Distancia Entre Um Dia e Outro" is a different beast all-together, offering stunning e-piano droplets, an octopus drum attack and an upfront bass splurge to die for, reminiscent of Hugh Hopper's elastic fuzz style made famous on many a Soft Machine album! A petulant, somewhat abrasive heavy jazz rambling steamroller, deliciously vintage, retro 70s sound that has eternity stamped all over it. Halfway through, Renato Navega and Jorge Carvalho usurp the arrangement by slowly rebooting the escalating groove into an insane electric guitar solo, up and down the fretboard's shaft like maniac miner looking desperately for gold. The sizzling synthesizers keep the fire burning , looking for the motherlode.

A trio of shorter tracks ensue, "Ebulicao dos Tempos" shrouded in a more accessible mode, with a compact rhythmic rock foundation, laden with forlorn vocals as if the distance evoked in the previous piece remains illusionary and timeless. The soloing is accomplished and patrician, no frilly nonsense , an in-your-face rocker. That nasty Lemmy-like bass takes the lead on the throttling "Cidade Solar", a forward plunging flip into more galactic horizons, a glittering synthesizer setting the controls to the heart of the cosmos, no hint of looking back at the road travelled. Rodrigues gets the shine like a fireball when boosted with added fuel, yet unafraid to settle into astral calm, with some delicate piano excerpts. The guitarist gets to curl his fingers on the joystick, tensely echoing in the silence of space, a gripping extra vehicular adventure.

Highlighted by the appearance of a comfortably numb mellotron flutter, "Universos Paralelos" serves as a momentary lapse of turbocharging, a floating and reflective intermission with flute patch synth as a major point of interest.

An epic finale is to be found on the spectral « Dentro de Si », as close as possible to any Floydian expanse, what with the elementary bass/drum pattern, the overtly whopping organ carpeting , vaguely misty vocals and industrious use of contrast and variation to keep the mood flowing expansively. Invariably both psychedelic and muscular, with enough muscle to seduce that softer tinge into submission, the platform is set for an awesome electric guitar solo that uses little effects, preferring incredibly nimble technique, and then handing off the spirit of the age to Rodrigues's delirious organ spotlight. As the bass returns to the front of the limelight, the apotheosis is reached , as f an exploding super nova settles the score.

Many years have passed, but if there ever was a need for a sophomore album to emerge from Brazil, then this would take the top of the podium. 4.5 Island synergies

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