CIUDAD DE PAPEL

With lovable Latin folk tunes, the listener has to depart from the understanding that this group explores his concepts from configurations ventured in the experimentation, same that are translated both in certain musical references and in the blend that they do with folk, rock, jazz, pop music, and of course progressive rock, characterized by the vanguards ideas.

This album is nominated in the Italian ProgAwards 2007 by Manticornio, so lets see if recognition does its judgment.

This is one of the best South American prog-folk recordings of the year 2007 - La Desooorden set a pace of intensity and musicality that feels patently overwhelming and captivating, even for those who can't speak or understand Spanish. Like a river of creative inertia, the flowing sounds comprised in "Ciudad de Papel" deliver a sort of continuity of the art-rock-fusion style matured in "La Isla de los Muertos". "Ciudad de Papel" finds the band exploring a more aggressive side to their essentially sophisticated style, hence putting less emphasis on the mystical ambiences (prominent in the preceding effort) while providing more textures and complexity to the sonic fold. In the harder places, the band's overall sound tends to get (moderately) rough among the colorful amalgam displayed across the album's repertoire. The calmer moments bring moods of melodic vibrations not unlike their legendary compatriots of Congreso. The guitarist's input is more featured given the fact that he seeks more room for his soloing among the abundant sax deliveries and the emphatic rhythm section's cadences. With a tribal yet subtle structure, the opener 'Fumarolas del Alma' sets the mood for the lament on the environment's deflagration that will conform this album's overall concept. Guest violinist Benjamín Ruz dialogues masterfully wih Pfeifer's sax lines. The namesake track raises the energy dose, featuring powerful guitar riffing; the calmer sections that appear in the middle provide enough variation as to keep things somewhat mysterious, until the initial motif returns triumphantly with an epic sensitivity. Two instrumentals follow: 'El Llamado del Tototral' features didgeridoo and ethnic percussive blowing, while 'El Gran Acuerdo' goes to jazz-rock oriented places, in a way similarly to Akinetón Retard at their less explosive. For the later, the presence of guests on violin and trumpet effectively enriches the overall sound. 'Migraciones Eternas' kind of sets a blending of the first two song's atmospheres, in this way developing a strong cohesion for the tracklist, but additionally, this track comprises some resources of enhancement that almost border on free-jazz amidst the fusionesque vibe. 'La Voz de los Niños' portrays a more cinematographic aura, with a children's choir ethereally delivering their lines over the featured piano arpeggios. 'Aciión por los Cisnes' kicks off exactly where the previous track had been developed, that is, magical textures with a cinematographic aspect. That is, until the full ensemble gets on in full force and sets a bonfire of exquisite complexity, even going to more somber places that tracks 1, 2 or 5. 'Tralcao' is mostly acoustically-driven, including a delicious soprano sax solo that brings a fresh air of beauty among the mysteries exorcised by the percussions. 'Homínidos' finds the band leaning pretty close to avant-rock, while 'Los Trabajadores' brings back some of the energy of track 2, only with a more pronounced funky vibe to it. When it comes to the rockier side of the band, the most explicit example in this album has o be 'E-N-E-U-J', a hard number in which the band absorbs the influences of LZ and Red Hot Chili Peppers: the drummer shines particularly here (from a rocking point of view, that is, since he has been an individual hero all along, actually). The passages in which the guest trumpeter appears serve to add variation to the rack's general rocking spirit. Last, but not least, the eerie closer 'Boletos Para Ir' brings an air of reflection and melancholy, in accord with the pessimistic perspective about the environment that has been underlying beneath the amgier sets of lyrics in previous tracks. If the opening song had bore a candid, almost melancholic softness, 'Boletos Para Ir' is more obviously sad. The relaxing feel brought in by the acoustic guitar, the soprano sax and the bass sets a convenient contrast to the lyrics' fatality, while the violin flights and trumpet ornaments enhance the dreamy textures. "Ciudad de Papel" is another victory of art in the South American world of art-rock: La Desooorden is a name that definitely should be paid more attention to in the online circles of prog.

I had not listened to La Desooorden's Ciudad de Papel in a while, and had been revisiting the past gods a lot (Genesis, Tull, Gentle Giant,.....) When I looked at my collection and spotted this, I thought - why not, I kind of liked it the first time I spun the disc.

Man, it quickly blew me away. From the beautiful Ange styled vocals, to the child like instruments/vocals, to the power house prog rock, this is a seriously wonderful listen. I love the mix of sax, as it really adds that other element that is needed to take something from good, to fantastic.

The writing is mature, the production second to none, and the overall feel is a perfect blending of old/new prog, a touch of RIO, and just that wonderful South American feel. The percussion work is another real accent that seperates La Desooorden's Ciudad de Papel from the rest.

Don't let the non-English language hold you back on this one, even though I don't understand a word of it, the art of the vocals in their native language only proves to enhance the experience.

For you older listeners like myself, we who were lucky enough to be there at the beginning of this life changing thing called progressive rock, this is new styled progressive rock, but with a wonderful ethnic/real world feel to it - something new that inspires. This is a great album, and a new hope of competing with my early heroes!

As always, thanks for listening, and thanks to Prog Archives!

Tom

While I thought their previous album showed flashes of brilliance, I could only muster 3 stars for it overall. How things have changed with this their most recent album from 2007.This album's title means "City Of Paper" and the concept was inspired when a factory was built in the bands home town in their native country of Chile.The album cover certainly became more clear when I took out the liner notes and unfolded it and saw the album cover and much more in this 8x4 inch picture. In the distance at the top is a huge smoke stack and factory with this river of pollution and cut outs of people floating away from it. A picture is worth a thousand words as they say.The music is phenomenal ! Often i'm thinking of the tribes in the rain forests with the samples they give of these natives chanting and speaking along with their native Folk music which is blended in with violins, horns, bass, piano, drums, guitar and more. By the way this is much heavier at times than the previous album and surely the subject matter has a lot to do with them showing more passion and anger.This sounds amazing with headphones with all the samples too. I'm just so impressed.

"Fumarolas Del Alma" opens with atmosphere as sparse sounds build. Drums before a minute then the violin joins in.The guitar replaces the violin as it settles some.Vocals 2 1/2 minutes in with percussion stars to lead. It kicks in after 3 1/2 minutes with guitar and drums when the vocals stop. Nice. Sax after 4 minutes. Some creepy vocals 5 minutes in as it calms down, then the normal vocals return along with sax and violin. It kicks in heavily after 6 1/2 minutes. "Ciudad De Papel" opens with percussion then the heaviness kicks in quickly.Vocals after a minute then the sax helps out. A change 3 1/2 minutes in to a lighter vocal-led section until the heaviness returns 5 minutes in. "El Llamado Del Totoral" is a cool track with percussion and atmosphere.

"El Gran Acuerdo" features horns as almost spoken words join in along with drums, guitar and more. A phone is ringing and answered as we hear the brief conversation as the music continues. Great sound after 2 minutes with horns.The guitar a minute later is excellent as well. "Migraciones Eternas" opens with what sounds like chickens as some chunky bass then sax comes in. It turns heavier. Vocals come in as it settles before 1 1/2 minutes. Sax 2 minutes in then it turns heavy again. A calm with birds singing 4 minutes in then sax and drums arrive as it builds until it's heavy with vocals again. "La Voz De Los Ninos" opens with pouring rain as vocal samples come in. Piano before 1 1/2 minutes as female vocals come in and children's vocals too.Tribal sounds can also be heard. "Accion Por Los Cisnes" opens with sampled spoken words with children in the background.The music kicks in and the vocals arrive before 2 1/2 minutes. Horns a minute later. I like the last minute as it gets heavier.

"Tralcao (Lugar De Truenes)" opens with rain and spoken sampled words. Percussion and vocals follow. Sax 2 minutes in. "Hominidos (Historia De Seres Nerviosos)" has some good guitar before a minute as horns join in as well. Great sound. "Los Trabajadores" opens with someone speaking and a crowd chanting something. A chainsaw starts up then vocal melodies. Check out the bass as spoken words come in then sax. Vocals and guitar follow. "E.N.E.U.J. (Esto No Es Un Juego)" hits the ground running. Nice heavy guitar here with drums. It settles some when the vocals arrive. "Boletos Para Ir" opens with acoustic guitar as percussion, sax, violin and other sounds slowly join in. Reserved vocals before 2 minutes in this melancholic closing track.

This band was no doubt greatly inspired here and pulled off one amazing album in the process. Chile offers up another gem.

3.5 really

La Desooorden from Chile was a very nice surprise for me, knowing this band only quite recently, I was realy impressed by this album, their forth from 2007 named Ciudad de papel or City of paper translated. A combination of jazz fusion with folk elements and heavier parts, make from this album a realy solid affair. Lots of untraditional and unknown to me instruments involved here like trutruca, tablas,darbouka and other strange ones, makes a very intristing atmosphere combined with guitar, bass, drums, keyboards. In this album is treated subject like pollution of the enviroment as the cover arts shows aswell, a realy actual and evocative problem for today in any country. Is a quirky album, with complex arrangements, sometimes they remind me of Van Der Graaf Generator but maybe more heavier in parts, with sax playing odd chops but very original I might say in the end. Very good the vocal parts , fits perfectly here. It was a realy nice ride for me this relase, it took more then usual to fully appreciate this at max, it is not an every day album to listen, has some very strange parts to me, but in same time very intristing, is sophisticated and damn progressive. Every piece is a winner here from the start Fumarolas del alma, seconded by Ciudad de papel and then El Gran Acuerdo who is more towards jazz rock side but excellent and goes on on every piece, far from being something usual here. A very solid album and very original. An intriguing band that needs for sure a wider recognition.3.5 stars for this one.