MUNDOS PARALELOS

Argentinean ensemble Tánger doesn't seem to leave their`primer, continuing to grow in sound and texture while solidly retaining their signature fusion-oriented prog style. Two years after their magnificent opus "Ciudad" they released their 2008 effort "Mundos Paralelos", again with a repertoire fully written by bassist/keyboardist Luis Colucci. The band remains a robust ensemble, even stronger than on any of their previous efforts. Actually, this factor may not seem so obvious given the largest amount of softer passages, but it is clear to me that the instrumental dialogues established by the musicians have reached their maximum point of energy so far, deliverign in a very calculated manner. The opener 'Ansiedad' kicks off with some spacey synth layers complemented by percussive adornments: the basic pace set by the cymbals prepare the stage for the full ensemble's work. The guitar inputs, the playful flute lines and the particular rhythm section's dynamics show undisputed hits of what Tánger's musica lessence is all about. The lead guitar elaborated all through minute 4 is simply splendid. 'Círculos Concéntricos' goes to more extroverted places: provided with a well-ordained melodic basis, the magical flute lines and the 80s KC-inspired guitar riffs make me wish the track would have been a bit longer than its 3'51 span. The namesake track shifts to a much calmer mood, a tango- inspired one that creates an air of solemnity. The controlled energy of the guitar and the sensual rhythmic cadences help to generate a special, melancholic ambience. This kind of mood is reiterated in 'Siete Pulsos', albeit with a more explicit sophistication in the tempo shifts and a more vibrant overall mood: the listener will notice some influences from Jethro Tull and Focus' classic eras, which have always been among Tánger's main references. 'El Castillo', built on a 9/8 tempo, adds a delicate tension to the album's general atmopshere with its weird, yet gently delivered chord progressions. The augmented flute input is mesmerizing in a way that enhances the track's lyrical focus. 'Metamorfosis' is a mid-tempo piece of pure jazz-rock in which the lead guitar is placed on center stage. For this one, flutist Damián Lois is in charge of keyboards and extra percussion. The Latin-jazz elements are evident, and so are the intimate textures that may remind us of late 70s Weather Report. The Argentinean Creole folk thing returns to the fold in 'Dos Dimensiones', which sets a lighter mood and a more fixed structure than track 3. 'Insomnia' is pure rocking Tánger at their Tulliest: the patent progressive sophistication and the dynamic equilibrium between guitar and flute are beautifully sustained on a clearly jazzy rhythmic sturcture. 'Marquesinas' also gives preferential room to the band's rockier side: a 5/4 tempo, amazing flute flourishes, an almost Frippian guitar lead, subtle synth layers that add some softness to the whole... this is the proghead's paradise. A new version of 'Nova Lisboa' (original from teh debut album), renewed with an enhanced touch of Crimson, closes down the album with a proper high spirit. So fr, the musical trend created and followed by Tánger has been an ascension toward increasingly richer sonorities - "Mundos Perdidos" is their new top achievement , as well as one of the most beautiful prog recordings to come out of a Latin American country in 2008.