SINTESIS

A low-key band that hailed from Argentina, Sintesis delivered a sole self-titled eclectic album of deranged instrumental jazz- fusion in 1976, and what a precious little (quite literally!) obscurity it is! Running a scant twenty-eight minutes, fiery ballistic guitar-driven eruptions are given almost a touch of the wildest RPI/Italian prog discs by way of violin, clarinet, flute and saxophone weaving in and out of the punchy arrangements, and it frequently calls to mind a group such as German band Dzyan, with a welcome murky toughness to its dirty embers.

Opener `Lo Obvio Según Yo ' is book-ended by twisting turning Dzyan-like races, crammed with energetic guitar runs that sprint through everything from grooving bluesy struts and chilled jazzy saunters, ably backed up by thick bass strolls and rumbling drums. There's hints of chamber prog and bands like Curved Air via searing violin on `Sin Nada' over a rattle of drums and spirited trilling flute breeziness with some playful whimsical breaks and grooving jamming that reminds of the lengthy improvised live performances of Focus, and `La Necesidad De Amar...A Veces' is a compact up-tempo jazz/fusion workout powered forwards by twin saxophone attacks after droning clarinet.

Side B's loopy and frantic `Algunas Maneras De Expresarme' quickly tears into wailing and distorted guitar electric soloing and gnarling bass twists driven by manic drumming, and the brief `Todo Lo Necesario Para Lo Necesario' is a drowsy clarinet and sax comedown that lurches to playful life as a reinvigorating jazzy cruise. But best of all is the completely infectious closer `El Final' that allows for plenty of improvised dancing flute, grumbling bass, pumping sax and scorching guitar soloing in between cool reprising themes, and it's a lively jazz-rock stomper to finish on.

A bonus track at the end of the recent CD reissue pads the album out to a whopping 33 minutes, and `Reminiscencias' is a nice strangled and echoing guitar piece. It clearly dates from a later time with its clearer and fuller sound, but it's a cool laid back improvisation that doesn't detract from the main recording in any way.

Keen progressive followers may recognise violinist Sergio Polizzi who would end up contributing to Argentinian band Bubu's classic `Anabelas' two years later in 1978, but there is little information about what many of the rest of the players here got up to after the split of the group soon after. `Sintesis' at least remains a rip-roaring and addictive LP that needs to be heard by a wider progressive/jazz-fusion audience, and finally given a long overdue re-issue from the BlueArt label in 2016, it's better late than never to get to appreciate this dynamic rush of fire and energy from a powerhouse group of musicians.

Five stars.