STRATUS LUNA

Like many other within the scene, the first I heard of this young Brazilian quartet was when Leo Pavkovik started raving about them to anyone who would listen. Given I have known Leo for nearly 20 years and have always found his musical tastes to be impeccable, I was intrigued. I note the CD is now being distributed by Moonjune, so he is obviously very keen indeed. The line-up is Ricardo Santhiago (electric, lap steel and acoustic guitars), Gustavo Santhiago (keyboards, sitar, flutes), Gabriel Golfetti (bass) and Giovanni Lenti (drums, percussion). Even before playing this I was intrigued, as not only is there lap steel, but one of the guys plays keyboards, woodwind and string instruments, which is highly unusual to say the least. I mean, I expect Charlie Cawood to play anything that has strings on it just because he is that type of musical genius, but I don't expect him to play instruments from other areas as well. I have never thought of Brazil has a hotbed of prog music, although tours always go down well in South America, but there aren't that many bands producing this style of music.

I can see why Leo is raving about them though, as this is highly complex beautifully arranged prog which does stretch at times into the more fusion area, but not that often. It feels more like a remastered Seventies classic album than something from today, as they use simple piano as the base at times, but always with a wonderfully clear guitar which can either provide rock support or clean almost Holdsworth-style leads over the top. The rhythm section keep it tied down, as the two frontmen move in and out of Canterbury style, through JRF and so many other styles. There is little here to let on understand that this is a band from Brazil, as to me this is a very English album, just one from 45 years ago, not Brazil in 2019. Okay, so the sitar isn't that English, and when it comes in on "Zarabatana" it totally changes the feel, but Harrison was using one back in 1965 and you can't get more English than The Beatles!

Overall this is a light, and incredibly enjoyable album, from start to end. It is easy to listen to but definitely never easy listening, and for this to be a debut is quite stunning. This is one heck of an album which is going to gain them a great many friends indeed. Well worth investigating.

What a pleasant surprise. Stratus Luna is a Brazilian band, half of them teenagers (the other half barely in their 20s) who play music so far away from bubblegum pop that too many people that age would do, but here these guys are creating music that doesn't exactly appeal to the girls, in other words, prog rock of the first order. They are Gong- related in that Gabriel Golfetti is the son of recent Gong member Fabio Golfetti (who was the latest addition to the band, he joined in 2017). They apparently formed in 2007, if so, then they were literally children when they started, having appeared on Brazilian children's television programs. 'Despite their age, they're no slouches. They create fairly complex prog but not overly complex. They go in full-on symphonic prog mode, then they switch over to electric piano-dominated jazzy parts. "NREM-1" diverges from the usual prog and jazz fusion template to a full-on electronic piece showing how Gustavo Santhiago could pursue a solo career in electronic music (he did record and release a solo album called 'nimam which leans more toward the mellow end of symphonic prog, rather than electronic). I tend to dislike most modern progressive rock due to sterile production, overly-long albums, and modern elements that seem out of place in prog. The guys from Stratus Luna avoids those pitfalls. They aren't exactly virtuoso musicians (no one will mistake Gabriel Golfetti for Jack DeJohnette or Billy Cobham) but they're a kind of band that plays within their means (that's something I also compliment big time with Norwegian prog band Jordsj'). Also my other grip of too much modern-day prog is the lack of emotion and dynamics, and these guys avoid that pitfall as well. Great music, great performance from all around. This proves first rate prog can be had in the present day and it's really a must have!

3.5 stars for sure

Stratus Luna is a young progressive/jazz rock/fusion group from Brazil formed in 2017 by Santhiago brothers (Gustavo and Ricardo).

Prior to this band Gustavo Santhiago the keyboard player had already a solo album in his pocket named Animam issued in 2016 who is by the way absolutely great, a type of prog symphonic I can hear every day.

Stratus Luna is more towards progressive jazz fusion type, with complex arrangemnts , tight playing and damn well great ideas all over. The album self titled was issued in 2019 and got rave reviews.

What is striking is that all musicians are almost teenagers , they play like they are together for 2 decades. The musicianship is excellent, they shift from complex symphonic prog to jazzy parts with amazing ease. Top musicians from the start, just to be heared O Centro Do Labirinto or Zarabatana, pieces are long enough and elaboarted. Definetly a winner for me, really good, even little known. 3.5 stars, strong and welcomed to any collection.