SEÑALES SIN EDAD

For their sophomore and final album, Horizonte decided to go for more eclectic roads in order to expand the pallet generated out of their folk-rock roots: "Señales sin Edad" is still a prog-folk album essentially, no doubt about it, but it is noticeable and laudable that the band decided not to replicate the magic of its first album, but to take this magic to a more diverse level. The namesake opening track is space- symphonic, with the synths (soloist and string ensemble) assuming a leading role in the melodic development; the full swing comes after the 3-minute mark in a (sorely) brief jazz-tinged interlude before the spacey mood returns with the final motif. 'Señales sin Edad' sounds like a cross between Espíritu and Camel. 'Solo Espero que las Luces Canten' starts with a nice pastoral set of acoustic guitar and Andean woodwinds before the arrival of the heavily Creole main motif (inspired by the traditional malambo). 'Próximo Abismo' displays a similar vibe, albeit with a more extroverted mood and a richer compositional structure. The jazzier parts that occupy the last 3/5 of the track may sound as Weather Report-meets-Arco Iris. The delicious folk-rock ambience incarnated in these two tracks makes Horizonte sound like the "missing link" between Los Jaivas' "Canción del Sur" and "Alturas de Machu Picchu". 'Vientos de las Cumbres' is a beautiful piano-based ballad, ceremoniously adorned by cosmic synth layers, with the soft ethnic percussion and woodwind joining in later: a lovely way to start the album's second half. 'Preludio a la Imaginación' goes on with this introverted stance while taking it to a more symphonic level. 'El Viaje Azul' returns to the atmospheres introduced by the opening track with a somewhat similar motif: so once again it is easy to mention Espíritu and Camel as points of reference, but also it's worth mentioning that the instrumental middle section bears a candid jazz-fusion tinged scheme, not unlike "Los Elementales"-era Arco Iris. The closure 'Historietas de Verdad' goes ethnic with its featured percussions and tropical moods: the sort of fusion chosen for this song combines the sensual essence of Caribbean Latin jazz and the naïve colors of Andean folklore's festive side. The careful treatment of the bass lines and the piano flows state a perfect complementation for the percussive basis, while the minimal string synth layers provide an added solemnity to the overall atmosphere. You can tell that there's lots of fun involved in the delivery of this piece, as crafted as it is. Definitely, no other closure fits better the main essence of "Señales sin Edad": Horizonte has been a great asset in Argentina's folk-rock scene in the 70s.