ÓRBITAS

Warning- nothing good comes easy! This is especially the case when challenging music with challenging themes is presented. In this case, TRYO (Chile)- to distinguish this TRYO from any other bands named "Tryo"- reminds me of the moment when the birthing- room nurse placed my firstborn, wrapped neatly in a tiny bundle, in my arms. It was a spiritual moment. I'm not referring to religion. "Church". Synagogue. Temple. Rather, I'm thinking of something Greater Than, the Transcendent, something like collective energy, the Divine?perhaps even Love. I burst into tears, with no conscious thought, holding my daughter- a miracle! I fell in love. But little did I know what was ahead. As any parent can tell you, there is joy, and there is suffering in parenthood. TRYO (Chile) presents us with a spiritual work using music, lyrics, and collective energy from this veteran band (closing in on 30 years together, all three original members). Impression number ONE: It takes time to learn to love this music. Impression number TWO: It is well worth taking that time. TRYO (means TRIO- in Spanish) includes Felix Carbone Kind- drums/percussion; Francisco Cortez Aguilara- bass guitar, cello; and Ismael Cortez Aguilar, guitar. Collectively, and with the help of their manager Ignacio Carvajal and the album's artist (design), Ivan Gonzalez Smith, this trio of musicians becomes more than the sum of their individual parts. Impression number THREE: There is inherent spirituality in the collective energy of three skilled musicians who have something to say. Each of the seven tracks represent one of the chakras- the energy points in the "subtle body". 1. Viaje Cosmico (Cosmic Voyage), first chakra- the roots, the basis, survival. The music is electric, vibrant, intricate, filled with rhythm and interplay. 2. Orbitas (Orbits), second chakra- emotions, the search for growth and balance. The music here, also electric, features the careful use of guitar effects interwoven into the tapestry of the music. 3. Crudo (Crude). third chakra- represented by fire, and concerned with power, control, and discovery of the true self. This electric piece if filled with raw energy, opens boldly, subsides, then builds. Bassist Francisco shines, at times taking the lead. 4. Cyan, representing one of the elemental colors of the spectrum, as a metaphor regarding the fourth chakra- balance, acceptance, equilibrium. Cyan abruptly shifts us into another dimension, as it moves into an acoustic sound. There's an Indian flavor to the vocals of Pascuala Ilabaca, mournful, a lament? This music suggests the spiritual quest for something beyond, for greater truth, and for communications from the heart. 5. La Montana (The Mountain), fifth chakra- ether, sound, vibration. The mountain represents the spiritual challenge- it's one thing to hold a newborn. It's another to raise a child. This too is acoustic- delicate, chiming guitars, violin (guest Boris Del Rio), and vibraphone- interwoven, intuitive. This is the result of almost 30 years of working together. 6. El Despertar (The Awakening), the sixth chakra- light, the 3rd eye. Here the ensemble playing is also acoustic and filled with the intuitive, feeling, and thought. 7. Condensacion(Condensation), "the Spiral, the Source, and the cosmic consciousness." Back to the energy of the electric TRYO. First the meditative opening. Then thunder, and vocals that represent the seventh chakra, "Together as one?together we are one." In about 43 minutes we have taken an intense and enlightening journey- one could say, spiritual- from darkness to light, from ignorance to wisdom.

Órbitas is the new and long awaited album of the outstanding South American band "TRYO" (Chile), with nearly 30 years of extraordinary artistic career in their home country and abroad. This amazing work (the first completely conceptual in their discography) represents -according to the artist- : "A journey through the Cosmos (macro cosmos - universe) and the Being (the micro cosmos that each of us is). The voyage is a metaphor for a human, spiritual, and transcendent experience, a learning path that will take us from ignorance to wisdom, darkness to light, and from an ego to a soul culture, all expressed through the universal language of music".

The album consists in 7 very interesting and varied tracks, each inspired by the various meanings, elements and characteristics of the 7 major energy centers in our subtle body, called The Chakras (as recognized by the Hindu spiritual tradition). In this sense, this travel goes from the macro cosmos (outer world) to the micro cosmos (inner world), and from the 1st chakra (track 1) to the last chakra (track 7).

Although, it is a very visual music that reflects correctly the concept that inspired this work, the album´s title and each track´s name includes subtitles that seeks to support the listener in a better understanding of each stage of this spiritual journey. The song lyrics also play a useful role, providing appropiate references that light the path of the cosmic traveller. The message is deep, coherent, relevant and optimistic, and the artist encourages to search within us (individually and as a society) to achieve the necessary solutions to our problems, reach the best version of ourselves and a New Global Consciousness (all crucial goals considering the complex, selfish and competitive world we are living in).

The inclusion of more compositions with vocals, the addition of instruments ? equipments ? sonorities never recorded before, and the participation of recognized Chilean and international guest artists, represent important efforts of the band to take its art to the next level.

TRYO makes it clear that even though its work fusions different musical genres (rock, jazz, folk, prog, world, classical and vanguard music), its unique sound is all of that and much more.

Órbitas is really a true masterpiece, one of the most important Prog - Fusion comebacks of the year and also between the best Latin American albums of 2016. In 43 minutes, the band shows all of its great power, sensibility, creativity, virtuosity and versatility, in electric-acoustic formats and instrumental - vocalized songs.

This new TRYO´s album has an excellent sound, a very important message to deliver and the complement of a beautiful - elegant art work. Undoubtly, it constitutes the renovation of the band`s sound and image, an enormous triumph of their art (confirming that they are back and in the best shape ever), and the opportunity to give an important new step forward to their international consolidation in the major leagues of Prog - Fusion music. It really seems like the only limits for these three amazing musicians are the ones that they can put to each other ... its great to know that we will have TRYO´s music for many years more!