ANIMAM

After experiencing this album before checking the artist background, I guessed on a Spanish guy in his fifties leading a band with an ample experience of performing progressive music. The prediction was completely off, and that says a lot about the musical maturity, quality and inspiration to this record. At an age of 17, this competent Brazilian talent played keyboards and flute while composing and producing the album more or less on his own. The style is 70s Camel-dominated, melodic and symphonic. Gustavo's instruments dominates an album that is varied, beautiful and enjoyable throughout. For me, it reaches its highest peak in the epic Illusoes and the catchy and elegant Arcadia. One may argue that Animam 2 contains a tad too much quiet depressing church organ at both ends, but it does not take much away from an enchanting and rather timeless music effort.