ALTURAS DE MACHU PICCHU

Holy mother of god, what a beautiful hidden gem I have found here! Los Jaivas are kind of like the Chilean equivalent of Pink Floyd, since they are progressive yet very beloved by the casual listeners and common Chileans. And they deserve it, since they made probably the greatest album of South America.

Alturas de Machu Picchu (Heights of Machu Picchu) is a cosmic experience that has a certain magic to it. The whole album is based on Pablo Neruda's poem of the same name, which tackles on themes of mortality, loss, the human condition, all the while being a stunning tribute to the ancient Indigenous people. This poem is legendary in Chile, and its typically considered a national masterpiece. So much that Los Jaivas didn't even dare to make a musical adaptation at first until they were convinced otherwise, and boy was the band able to do such an equally stunning work.

The music is a perfect translation of the lines that Pablo has written down, perfectly combined with Gato Alquinta's powerful singing. Some of the highlights include the epic song La Poderosa Muerte (The Mighty Death), the vastly underrated Antigua América (Ancient America), and the powerful finale Sube a Nacer Conmigo Hermano (Climb Up to be Born With Me Brother). All of the songs together flow together like smooth butter, and I mean very smooth butter. Alturas de Machu Picchu is a must listen for any prog rock fan. And if you haven't listened to this album yet, do me a favor and give it a spin! You won't regret it. Deserved 5/5.