HORIZONTE

3.5 stars

The second and last work of the band. The culminating project where everything has grown so much that it didn't resist the degree of creativity of the group and led to its dissolution. Horizonte was a band that, as their name indicates, sought to broaden their horizons in order to find references to South American rhythms for their albums, and they have evidently succeeded in doing so. This is a group that never stayed in their comfort zone and that in each song goes about discovering a new land. As I will now explain, the over-experimentation sometimes breaks the camel's back, although the band's instrumental passages are very versatile and most of the time they usually work so purely that the flaws become part of their perfection.

"Señales sin Edad" opens the album and it's a kind of jazz fusion with the warmth of folk rock and arrangements typical of classic symphonic rock. It's all quite homemade, but those little messes work perfectly! This happens a lot in Argentine music. This song could be a kind of craft made with a lot of cultural love. The singing (with its softly primal screams and stretched vocals) is also typical of 1970s South America. Although it has its tribal traits, the implementation in rock was pushed by Argentinean bands like Los Gatos or Almendra and then can be seen in other countries like Chile, Bolivia or Peru doing their very special and breezy progressive rock (or also in Argentinean bands close to the 80s like this one). It's a worthy start.

We continue with "Solo Espero que las Voces Canten". The album from the second song takes one of its many changes of course and presents a nice chacarera, with guitar and piano growing and nice flute arrangements. Of course, it would all be different if the typical percussion wasn't there. A beautiful song. Music from nature is always welcome!

"Proximo Abismo" is... complicated. Three songs, three different directions. A psychedelic candombe awaits us here. This is really interesting. A strong bass, entertaining percussion and arrangements that seem to take a lot from Nektar. It's a good song, but there are a lot of things that don't quite fit: A mix is always complicated and risky, but here so many different elements are fused together that there are a lot of confusing parts. To be clear: candombe, psychedelia, jazz fusion, folklore, popular song... All together doesn't seem to be a good idea. Anyway, it has its little charm.

"Viento de las Cumbres" is, without a doubt, the highlight. Everything rises again here! I was surprised how something so emotional comes out of nowhere. The B-side starts off much better than one can imagine. This is proof positive that the Argentinian culture is one of the richest and most precious in the whole world. You can feel the essence of South America caressing you to the rhythm of the song. The keyboard arrangements are masterful and infinite. Divinity has taken over Rolando Hugo Ojeda and through him has made this song an immortal work. Bravo!

"Preludio a la Imaginación" is the first instrumental song of the album and the shortest one, by Sergio Vainikoff and his delicate notes. Trying to continue the level of beauty offered by the previous song, the piano takes refuge in a guitar arpeggio and the woodwind sound takes over the idea. You can hear little classical subtleties here (Grieg influence, for example).

"El Viejo Azul" brings lyrics and music by Mario E. Vannini (also composer of Proximo Abismo) that offers melodies more linked to jazz fusion, with clear influences from the great Santana era. The bass plays a good part here, but obviously the theme is in charge of Vannini's constant electric guitar plucking.

And then, the final track: "Historietas de Verdad". Nobody dreams of glass castles today. In the last song of the album, the two musicians change roles: Ojeda is in charge of the music and Vannini is in charge of the lyrics. With the most tribal and outstanding percussion of these 36 minutes, this beautiful work closes in a very funny way, with the flute that seems to be dancing with happiness while being motivated by small vocal additions. The last few minutes are quite adrift and seem to be improvised in an atmosphere of confidence and total looseness. The album closes in a more than worthy manner for the variety of sounds provided in this little more than half an hour.

One of the many great and cultural albums Argentina has engendered, but with a unique essence. It simply lacks consistency.

4.5 stars really!!!

Horizonte's second album is even better than its promising debut was, but the group suffered a few line- up change, losing its bassist Alfano and keyboardist Tiscornia, with only the latter finding a replacement in the form of Sergio Vainikoff (maybe a strong plus for the band), while the bassist slot was for guest Willy Campins (never good to lose a playing/touring member). Recorded in early 79 and coming with a more enticing artwork, most of the tracks are again coming from guitarist Vanini, some more by singer Ojeda and one by newcomer keyboardist Vainikoff. Surprisingly enough, the album failed to follow up on the commercial success of its predecessor, thus most likely provoking the group's untimely end in the "winter" 80/81. .

Opening on the title track, a symphonic folk mid-tempoed track, that brings much prog clichés (but in a good way here) and the only danger is that the synth layers are layered on too thick, to make sound some place a tad cheesy. The following Solo Espero is a pure beauty with its brute folklore, strutting out its uncompromising pastoral folk, yet making a splendid prog track. Splendid stuff, really!! The lengthy Proximo Abismo (near the ravine) is another amazing track, where the loud percussion from Ojeda and the loud keys from Vainikoff keeps you on your toes, while the track gets you onto a jazz- rock and a lengthy trip down that avenue. The next Vientos De Las Cumbres is the type of Andean folk you'd find on early Jaivas albums. Somehow Horizonte probably epitomizes Latino Prog even better than Los Jaivas, although I'd say that overall, this is a tie, since with Jaivas, Horizonte would've not existed.

Continuing on the flipside (Vientos opened it), Preludio A La Imaginación is an absolutely magnificent piece that leads into Viejo Azul (Old Blue), both tracks where Vainikoff really shows he's making the difference with his jazzy electric piano, compared to Horizonte's debut album. the closing Historietas De Verdad is another excellent track, this time on a Central American beat (between the bossa nova and pure Carrib dance music), where Vainikoff's piano sounds like Santana's Gregg Rollie and Ojeda's vocals sounds like .. Gregg Rollie as well (>> or at least Greg Walker) with this successful mix between festive Andean folk and festive Carribean music. .

Horizonte's second album easily manages what its debut hadn't managed, being a masterpiece and being essential to Latin prog folk, Senales Sin Edad is not flawless, but all the lights are green so that every progheads can jump almost blindly in for this album.

3.5 stars really!!!

While across the border, on the other side of the Andes, the two groups incorporating Andean Amerindian-type folk music into their rock, Los Jaivas and Congresso had to flee their country due to the Pinochet regime, both had found a first refuge in Argentina and obviously had an impact there first and foremost. Both Chilean bands were born in the early 70's and by 75 had fled to Argentina, with at least two or three albums in their suitcases. By the later 70's, their type of progressive folk prog rock had made a few ripples and one of these indeed caused a bump on the Horizonte. Recorded in the closing days of 77 and released the very next year, the self-titled debut made a dent into the record charts of their country, even though their horrible artwork was certainly not encouraging.

Most of the tracks are penned by guitarist/flutist Mario Vanini, and singer & percussionist Hugo Ojeda making the balance, the rest of the group being drummer Bloise, keyboardist Tisconia and bassist Alfano. Starting on what appeared to be the commercial hits ofv the album Sueno De Luz and Tierra Del Indio, the album appeared not only as folk, but also defending a certain Amerindian heritage that was probably as uncommon in Southern than Northern America. Both tracks are short, acoustic and emotive, the kind of thing aimed for radio airplay, even if in the 70's, Argentina was not much less trouble-free than its neighbouring Chile or Brazil were. The album gets a real start with the almost 11- mins Selva Del Sol, which seems to start with a slow piano and bass rumble coming from the planet's wombs, slowly evolving out to incorporate impressive wood-creaking percussion and a solemn sunrise flute, the whole thing coming to a rest before the bass and a steady drum bring the guitar that comes in menacingly at first, before the bass and steady drum bring back that same guitar, this time much more gliding and smooth, this time more enduringly as well. The album's flipside starts on the 7-mins Piel De Cobre, a solemn Spanish-type lament, one you'd find on some Morricone Western movie if it wasn't for the quality of the songwriting and its middle section developing some wild interplay between the five members, making this track an easy second highlight of the album. The closing Vidala del Corazón is taking the usual Andean folk to more progressive pasture lands with some sophisticated arrangements. The Ojeda-penned Trigo Madura is a short but dramatic piece on which the flute does do some wonders, reminiscent maybe of Tull's opening album's blues rock, but retaining the Spanish tinge.

While I wouldn't call Horizonte's debut a masterpiece, it is one of these album that must be listened in priority if you want to get the real essence of how Latin America did its best prog rock, through its folk roots. Masterpiece maybe not, but essential, hell yes!!!

The jazz-fusion and folk-rock scenes were very prolific in Argentina in the 70s, taking advantage of the remergence and vindication of folk music in an important part of pop culture. Arco Iris was the undisputed, unmatched zenith in this particular musical area; Horizonte, with only two albums in their CV, was the only band that could come really close to the aforesaid one. Horizonte's debut release is a delicious showcase ofr South American rock-fusion with heavy Andean accents, exemplarizing the archetype of a midway between Los Jaivas and Arco Iris that undeniably fits them so well. The opening track 'Sueño de Luz' bears a lovely candidness with its hopeful aura and dynamic rhythm structure. Track 2 'Tierra del Indio' is also extroverted, but this time it bears a somewhat harsher sound, more rock sensible, just like what Arco Iris did in their Sudamérica and Inti Raymi albums. The 10 1/2 minute-long instrumental 'Selva del Sol' is the album's definite gem. Starting with an ethereal, slightly cosmic intro, the first motif enters and setles in quite easily as a sort of prolongued interlude; the real main motif is introduced by massive percussions bringing in the typical cadence of malambo, in this way announcing a musical colorfulness that is perfectly complied by the full ensemble, featuring an ever powerful lead guitar that states the overall melodic development. Let me repeat the motto midway between Los Jaivas and Arco Iris in order to describe this track's essence in a few words: I will add that there is an epic vibe to the core jamming that makes the whole track expand its potential power quite successfully. What follows doesn't equal the magic of this lovely piece, but it's still worth enjoying in a genuine manner. For instance, 'Piel de Cobre' has a melancholy sung section that is followed by an instrumental jam that sounds very related to 'Selva del Sol'. 'Maíz Azul' is an Andean ballad with a brief (too brief!) joyful coda, while 'Trigo Maduro' bears a recurrent midtempo based on a fusion of Andean and blues-rock (vaguely Tullian, indeed). The album's finale is brought in by 'Vidala del Corazón', an emotional song that solidly portrays the melancholic and passionate sides of Andean folk in an art-rock frame. It will be on their second release where Horizonte will really accomplish musical excellence, but this debut album isn't far from tha tdemanding level: in fact, it ancipates in a very determined way. Horizonte is an important item for any serious prog-folk collector.

For their sophomore and final album, Horizonte decided to go for more eclectic roads in order to expand the pallet generated out of their folk-rock roots: "Señales sin Edad" is still a prog-folk album essentially, no doubt about it, but it is noticeable and laudable that the band decided not to replicate the magic of its first album, but to take this magic to a more diverse level. The namesake opening track is space- symphonic, with the synths (soloist and string ensemble) assuming a leading role in the melodic development; the full swing comes after the 3-minute mark in a (sorely) brief jazz-tinged interlude before the spacey mood returns with the final motif. 'Señales sin Edad' sounds like a cross between Espíritu and Camel. 'Solo Espero que las Luces Canten' starts with a nice pastoral set of acoustic guitar and Andean woodwinds before the arrival of the heavily Creole main motif (inspired by the traditional malambo). 'Próximo Abismo' displays a similar vibe, albeit with a more extroverted mood and a richer compositional structure. The jazzier parts that occupy the last 3/5 of the track may sound as Weather Report-meets-Arco Iris. The delicious folk-rock ambience incarnated in these two tracks makes Horizonte sound like the "missing link" between Los Jaivas' "Canción del Sur" and "Alturas de Machu Picchu". 'Vientos de las Cumbres' is a beautiful piano-based ballad, ceremoniously adorned by cosmic synth layers, with the soft ethnic percussion and woodwind joining in later: a lovely way to start the album's second half. 'Preludio a la Imaginación' goes on with this introverted stance while taking it to a more symphonic level. 'El Viaje Azul' returns to the atmospheres introduced by the opening track with a somewhat similar motif: so once again it is easy to mention Espíritu and Camel as points of reference, but also it's worth mentioning that the instrumental middle section bears a candid jazz-fusion tinged scheme, not unlike "Los Elementales"-era Arco Iris. The closure 'Historietas de Verdad' goes ethnic with its featured percussions and tropical moods: the sort of fusion chosen for this song combines the sensual essence of Caribbean Latin jazz and the naïve colors of Andean folklore's festive side. The careful treatment of the bass lines and the piano flows state a perfect complementation for the percussive basis, while the minimal string synth layers provide an added solemnity to the overall atmosphere. You can tell that there's lots of fun involved in the delivery of this piece, as crafted as it is. Definitely, no other closure fits better the main essence of "Señales sin Edad": Horizonte has been a great asset in Argentina's folk-rock scene in the 70s.