DESIGNIOS

If you ever see an album by this man please buy it. Fernandez Ledesma is a genius at arranging and composing music. I have the two albums that came out before this one and also his debut and all of them are not only amazing but different from one another.The common thread is that Avant- garde style. And to be honest that's what threw me when it came to "Designos" and that's why i'm listening to it for the fourth time today. I wasn't expecting such a Symphonic / Folk album with the vocals of Margarita playing such a major role. It's all so good though, I just had to accept the style and then sit back and listen. Lots of that today (haha). It's hard for me to put into words how emotional some of this music makes me feel.Sure there's lots of songs and passages that don't but man this is all good. What's amazing is that on the surface this seems less challenging and adventerous than his other recordings until you really listen and realize how complex the music and arrangements are. And the lyrics ! My God ! It may be sung in Spanish but when I read the English translations I was overwelmed with such imagery and poetry.

"Ave Luz" has these intricate acoustic guitar melodies as the flute joins in. A beat with vocals joins in quickly. "Salt scented and windy dream. A lost angel drowned by the shore, of shade and name each dawn reminds me; same old days of salt and sand". A calm before 3 minutes then it kicks back in to that earlier soundscape. Some absolutely moving passages here. "Muro Ciego" opens with percussion as a stringed instrument comes in then vocals.A bass horn I think follows in place of the vocals as they take turns.

"Saena" opens with keyboards as drums and synths join in.Great sound here. Flute and percussion follow then violin before 3 minutes.Vocal expressions before 6 1/2 minutes to end it. "Cancion Para Un Solo Dia" is uptempo to start and mostly throughout. Lots of percussion and vocals.Violin before 3 1/2 minutes. "Abismo" has lots of strings and ethnic instruments.Vocals before a minute in this folky track. My least favourite but there's some killer bass 2 minutes in followed by synths as the bass continues to throb.The second half is much better than the first half of this track.

"Los Designios De Cominis" is the almost 18 minute epic. Flute, bass and strummed guitar to start. Organ and vocals take over then it picks up after 2 minutes. Flute and synths lead after 4 minutes. It then kicks in. Love this part. A haunting calm before 6 1/2 minutes.Violin before 9 minutes as it stays mellow. It then builds to a full sound as the tempo and mood continue to shift. Another haunting calm after 12 minutes. It kicks in pretty hard 13 1/2 minutes in. Nice. Great track. "Punta Cometa" is another track like the opening one with lots of moving moments. Atmosphere to start then music a minute in and emotion as vocals join in.

This has really grown on me to the point where 4 stars seems to little. I just can't go higher than that yet. A must for Symphonic / Folk fans who like a little adventure thrown in.