Allà, Es Tiempo

by Casey DeHoedt
07/04/2008

The haziness of summer has hit. And like any other dreamer seeking recreation within a life of errands, wage-earning and other distractions that keep one air-conditioned and confined from escaping to free-wills, I get preoccupied with visions of coasting toward waning sunsets. Linen pants, and sandals. Drinks on the rocks, twisted with limes and maybe one of those umbrellas to give my fingers something to fiddle with.

And because I’m not a millionaire who can simply fly away to five-star European sea resorts I turn toward music to make these imaginings more tangible. So, with perfect timing my ears have found an oasis with Allà’s Es Tiempo.

This trio from the windiest of cities, Chicago, has concocted a sound that’s a little more trip than hop. Lupe Martinez’s vocal use of sustained tones resolved by subtle dynamics splash languidly into a trance-like pleasure. At times her style resembles early nineties R&B a la SWV, yet paired with the subtle layers of the musical ensemble they buoy more than they soar into diva over-kill.

For the most part the songs are threads beaded with instrumental textures that keep the music calm but never redundant. At the barest level, the guitars, bass and percussion are well within the styles of suite-funk, bossa nova and tropicalia – all of which propel the music rhythmically. Yet, it is in the layers of pseudo-strings, horn and other orchestral sounds that give Allà a feeling of chilled out fluidity.

Produced by guitarist, Jorge Ledezma, and engineered by Colin Studybaker on the Crammed Discs label, the album is extremely well-crafted. This production team displays a fine-tuned sense for enhancing an idea rather than cramming it all into your ear just to prove creativity or big budget.

Overall, the album is extremely pleasant. Fans of Morcheeba will be pleased to find a similar aesthetic that’s consistently good. The casual listener will groove to the album’s general atmosphere. Lyricists may be drawn toward to the socio-political messages of Chicano existence. Music connoisseurs will enjoy discovering the variety of layers and detail embedded within the talented musicality of the ensemble.

Recommended tracks: “Golpes del Sol,” “Es Tiempo,” y “Un Pedazo.”

Technorati Tags

Comments [post a comment]

more music

more from casey dehoedt