ENTRE LA INSEGURIDAD Y EL EGO

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.