BUENOS AIRES - FREE EXPERIENCE, VOLUMEN 2

The "Buenos Aires Free Experience" is sort of an experiment I guess you could say where the Record Runner music label invites bands to come into their studio to create and play live music in a spontaneus way. So yes this is all about improvs which let's face it is a scary thing for most bands. There is no rehearsing or overdubs, but later the music is edited and mixed. NEXUS is the second band to take part in this series. What I found interesting about this recording (knowing the band NEXUS very well) was that they incorporated different styles into their music instead of being the straight up Symphonic keyboard-led band that i'm used to. Some Blues, Jazz and above all with this style of music (winging it) is that they jammed a lot. I love when bands do that so this record was a hit with me.

"Plaga" is a fantasic way to start. Heavy drums with organ to begin then the guitar takes the lead. This sounds great.It settles as synths wash in before 1 1/2 minutes. The guitar is back with some chunky bass as the synths continue. Nice. It starts to build after 6 minutes. So good. It's heavier before 9 minutes as drums pound. It settles again 13 1/2 minutes in. I like it ! "El Reves Del Espejos" opens with synths and spoken words in Spanish. It kicks in KING CRIMSON-like with some steller guitar and fat bass with crisp drumming. Synths help out too. I really like this tune. "Servicio De Lounge" opens with synths as guitar and organ join in. Drums and bass support. It's pretty laid back as synths come and go. The tempo picks up after 5 minutes. A Jazzy vibe here. A change before 11 minutes as the guitar starts to lead and the tempo slows up.

"No Pizza" is fairly bombastic as one might imagine when there's no pizza. Piano, drums and bass lead early. Organ before 2 1/2 minutes and it leads until the drum show 6 minutes in. It turns heavy before 8 1/2 minutes. I like the drums before 12 minutes. "Dame Un "La"" is a one minute excerpt of drums, synths, guitar, violin and voices. "Danza Mental" is the over 18 minute closer. Synths and violin early. A beat before 3 1/2 minutes as the synths and violin stop. Vocals join in and organ too. Violin is back before 4 1/2 minutes, synths too. Heavy guitar before 6 1/2 minutes. Vocals are back 8 minutes in. Violin before 12 minutes. It then settles. Ripping organ 16 minutes in when it picks back up.

A solid 4 stars for me. It's just refreshing to hear NEXUS in this situation, especially since they were so successful at it. As Luis mentions in the liner notes, this is a more raw and direct NEXUS.