O EREMITA

This talented Brazilian band released their debut and while the ratings given by others were not as lofty as mine, I simply adored what I hear, a softer more seductive form of jazz-rock prog. What particularly caught my fine-tuned attention was the stellar bass work by two guests, who have been replaced on this album by Arthur Cunha, the sole change in the original line-up of David Leite (guitars), keyboardist Thiago Albuquerque and drummer Henrique Penna. New percussionist Kleber Benigno also joins 'the Hermit' album . The gorgeous cover art is a sight to behold .

Now we start off with a grandiose prog stylistic on "Odissea para Sirius", a 9-minute symphonic track with operatic voice, and orchestral synths to open the curtain. Leite adorns the melody with electric licks that offer lots of latitude to roam, as if travelling the cosmos in search of new worlds. The marching drums provide the astute propulsion and the synths the necessary vectors, amid a myriad of sonic asteroids and foreboding planets. The composition certain does a lot of voyaging into various styles yet includes those amazing operatic arias throughout.

Next up , the smooth and stellar "Solaris", a jewel of subtle resonance, the e-piano doing its best to dazzle, the rhythmic pace relaxed, that sensational bass dancing on the nocturnal beach all night long, adorned with two guitar sorties , the first fluid and romantic, the second straight out of the fusion school of blazing notes. The magic appears with the groovy romp on "Abracadabra", an unrepentant electric guitar procession repeated ad infinitum, on top of which the bouncy bass and flashy drums can dance along as if on a tightrope, with occasional organ flourishes, keeping a tight groove , until the rabbit emerges from the hat. An elegant piano appears (finally!) on "Samsara", initiating a lively return to more complex exertions, a suave bass intervention for the ages, yet highlighted by ebb and flow contrasts that make this the most intriguing track on the album, intensely jazzy and urban, as well maintaining that slight bossa nova feel. Leite's solo is an illuminating sliver of beauty. My top track here.

After all that experimental belligerence out of their system, "O Regresso" is all sun and beach, a cool breeze coming in from the ocean, and a melody that perfectly symbolizes the Brazilian mind-set, carefree and laid-back. When the eclectic bass loops charm the ears, the bliss factor rises to the top, as Cunha is a crafty musician who knows his strings. The synthesizer carves the melodic content in a hyper jazzy manner, think Allan Zavod of JL Ponty fame or Pat Moraz' "I " album. A luxuriant piece of music.

"Horizonte de Eventos" is a frolicsome track, with an assortment of stormy keyboard layers from Albuquerque, synths and organ at the forefront in a rather aggressive mode, while the lead Leite solo is both abrasive and raspy. The lead instruments battle each other for supremacy, neither able to dominate.

The title track is a 9-minute job, that straddles the blurred line between jazz-rock and prog, the elastic Cunha bass once again leading the pack, a churning organ fighting for its rights, setting up the extended guitar solo that shows off a particularly original talent, as the various effects are often extreme, at times jarring or even grubby, which suits the well-oiled arrangement to a tee. Falling accidentally into a more ambient pool lasts only a few seconds, before the choppy, rather discordant piece regains its aggressive notoriety. The audition requires stamina, as it is a most adventurous exercise, a wonderfully fluid bass solo the highlight. The softness arrives with a slithering synthesizer flurry that hands over the baton to an odd guitar/organ duel that gently vaporizes into the mist. As a bonus track, "Aquantica" navigates a more tropical environment, a dense percussive piece as Benigno athletically settles the rhythmic pulse. The synthesizers seem distant, as the Amazonian voice effects recall a possible diversion near Manaus, wrapped up in an all-pervading jungle of experimentation. The piranha-like electric guitars collide with the ethnic motifs to create a hybrid style of what I would call heavy jazz-rock, anaconda fretless bass coiling in anticipation, all of this recorded in alive setting!

An obviously talented band that, in my humble opinion, is headed in the right direction with its challenging music, needing perhaps cleaner production values and an increased use of the piano as the perfect intermediary between melody and rhythm.

4 Belem recluses

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