MENTE Y GRAVEDAD

Argentinian band Impulso (full name: Impulso de los Sonidos Inconscientes) was formed back in 2008, initially a trio who blended structured composed songs with improvisational performances live as well as on their initial demo tape that was released in 2009. In 2010 they expanded to a quartet with the inclusion of vocalist, keyboardist and flautist Emanuel Pin, expanding their stylistic borders and possibilities. Soon after they started to work on the material for their debut album "Mente y Gravedad", the end result released as a free download in the spring of 2012. By that time the band was again reduced to a trio, as Pin decided to leave the band.

And in what appears to be the sole production of this band as a foursome, they deliver just over an hour of rather diversified music. Words like retro and vintage are essential features throughout, and a certain love for bands active in the 1970's is needed to be able to enjoy this item. The band themselves cites bands like Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple to be some of their major sources of inspiration, and personally I do think they should add Black Sabbath to that list too, as some parts of their album fits rather smugly into a Purple Sabbath description.

But while they can be majestic sounding with a harder edged yet melodic take on vintage hard rock, this is merely one of many features that are recurring traits of this bands repertoire. Psychedelic flavoured instrument motifs is another distinct feature, it won't take long before the style heavy psychedelic comes to mind when exploring this initial effort of theirs. Utilized as careful, subtle additions to their songs more often than not, and given somewhat more room when they hit off in longer, more elongated escapades of an improvisational nature like on La Puerta de Tannhäuser and Correr.

An additional aspect of this bands repertoire that rather quickly surface is a certain affection for jazzrock too, and on a number of occasions they invite their listeners to reflect upon just how minor the differences between psychedelic rock and jazzrock really are. Later on gentler passages more distinctly jazzrock in character than merely oriented towards that expression appears too, as the initial occurences of this trait most likely will leave a few wondering whether this aspect of their sound is incidental rather than planned. Finally Impulso also include the occasional nod in the direction of symphonic progressive rock and folk rock too by way of keyboards and flute respectively, and in the later stages of this production we're served some rather tasteful passages there the latter has been incorporated into their dampened excursions into jazzrock territories, and to good effect I might add.

The overall experience is of a band varied in style, with a distinct emphasis on a retro-oriented overall sound. A band to seek out by those who enjoy Black Sabbath and Deep Purple just as much as King Crimson and Pink Floyd, and it will most likely be an advantage if you enjoy a bit of jazzrock and psychedelic rock too. A fine debut album by a talented band.