ENTRE LA INSEGURIDAD Y EL EGO

Debut album of this Chilean band is a ... mixed bag. Album's music is fusion in a sense of mixing all possible musical genres in one. Whenever main components are contemporary jazz, Latin urban folklore, Latin traditional music (rumbas, etc),Latin pop, RIO and classic, you can only imagine, how does it sounds!

In reality, every song is different, and best of them contain some free-jazz improvs, jazz fusion arrangements and quite inspired and technical musicianship. Vocals is Latin urban, and there are some street brass and danceable pieces as well.

Important element in band's music is that RIO atmosphere, but often it works if you know cultural and political situation from the place such music was recorded very well. I perfectly remember how I loved some artists, who played on the streets during last days of Russian occupation of Baltics, but rare foreigner could understand what is great in their music! Some years later I saw the same situation in ex-Yugoslavia. Then I believe for Chilean people, of people from Latin America these songs have much bigger attraction, because they know and feel, what this music is about.

For just casual listener, it is very eclectic album with some great moments and some annoying moments. Looking to musical side only ( as bigger part of listeners do), there are really interesting moments, but the album in whole is a bit of street-oriented musical propaganda. Possibly, nothing is bad in it, but unhappily too often musical component is placed on the second plan there.

In whole this album is non-usual Latin RIO work with some fusion elements for fans of such kind of music. Great product within the genre though.

MEDIABANDA from Chile rose out of the ashes of the great FULANO, and so yes we get a strong FULANO vibe. Considering it's the same female vocalist has a lot to do with that, but we also get the crazy Avant / Jazz / Fusion style here with a few more flavours thrown in for good measure. Lots of assorted saxes to go along with the clarinet, flute and trombone. Plenty of marimba and percussion too.The vocals certainly are the focus much of the time but to concentrate on the instrumental work will bring great pleasure guaranteed.This band is awesome to say the least. I must admit I like the follow up double album more but they've packed 78 minutes of entertainment on this cd. By the way the guitar, bass, keys and drumming are all fantastic as well.

"Yo No Se Vas" is impressive vocally with both male and female vocals leading the way with attitude. The spongey bass is almost funky. A bright upbeat way to start. I really like the keys to start "Entre La Inseguridad Y" the title track. Those chunky bass lines follow with flute and drums. "Jale, Cpete Y Pucho" might be my favourite. The deep bass lines and crisp drums are joined by horns. Piano too. Great sound ! The guitar comes in around 6 1/2 minutes and makes some wonderful noise. Horns return and lead to the end. Another highlight is "A Trabajar Y A Acostarse". Man the drumming is so good and we get plenty of marimba and piano. High pitched vocals follow then it settles. I like the flute too. Great song.

"Nadie Quiere Mi Jingle" has these vocal melodies with solid drumming and fat bass lines. Just a gorgeous tune. Guitar after 2 minutes lights it up. Amazing. "El Sueno De Daniel II" is another tune that just impresses me so much. The vocals, horns, marimba and on and on. "Chilean Wiken Again" has some incredible guitar on it and bass later on. Yes the vocals are other-worldly as usual. Check out the bass intro on "No Hay Que Apegarse Al Pasado". The rest is great too including the piano, vocals and guitar. The final track features some passionate and theatrical vocals as she gives it her all. It's almost chamber-like before 6 minutes. Intense ending.

Such an entertaining release that's full of insane instrumental work and some of the best vocals you will hear. A solid 4 stars.

Chilean band Mediabanda is no more or less the music sequel of Fulano,who disbanded in 2003 after the death of keyboardist Jaime Vivanco,member both of Fulano and Congreso.Paying a tribute to his memory,Fulano's singer Arlette Jequier and wind- instrumentalist Cristián Crisosto renamed the act to Mediabanda,which was actually Vivanco's first band along with ex-Fulano drummer Guillermo "Willy" Valenzuela and Crisosto.The new band developed into a 10-piece act and performed for the first time in January 2003.Their debut ''Entre la Inseguridad y el Ego'' was released the next year on Fondart.

Comparable to some point with Fulano but a bit more versatile,Mediabanda created 14 different pieces of music,exploring the most out of music's possible genres.Mostly colored with the fantastic female voices of Arlette Jequier and Regina Crisosto,the compositions jump from one style to another in a blink of an eye and any try labeling the band is a bit of risk.There is some great Latin-pop mixed with Jazz-Fusion on the less complicated track with plenty of vocal exercises,but the talent of the musicians did not prevent them from following a complex form in most of the album's cuts.The majority of them has a strong R.I.O./Chamber Rock attitude with abstract instrumentals, based on dissonant saxes,light electric piano,complex bass lines and solid drumming.Guitar work is quite strong as well.A few pieces have a definite Classical inspiration and even Symphonic Rock tendencies with excellent piano work and driving flutes,these are for the most of their time quite harmonic pieces.Needless to say the interplays are numerous and certainly of high class.Add to the picture a slight Folk edge and this abstract painting is in front of your eyes,created by a company of musicians with some lust to try anything far from ordinary.

An eclectic mix of sounds and sights and balanced between instrumental labyrinths and vocal- based theatrical Latin cuts, Mediabanda's debut can be easily compared with the best works of Fulano and anyone seeking for some highly educational Progressive Rock with a variety of influences should simply purchase this.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.