JARDIN DE LA CROIX

Jardín De La Croix is one of the most exciting secrets currently existing in the experimental arena of Spain's rock: hailing from the Moratalaz district in Madrid, this instrumental quartet creates a muscular and complex framework whose main nucleus comprises elements of psychedelic prog, math-rock and prog metal. The band's sound is ballsy and powerful, yet far from rough: in fact, the finesse abundantly used by the performers as a well-oiled unit can easily be perceived among the undergoing fire delivered in the riffs and rhythmic developments. Now that the band is on the brink of recording and producing their future sophomore release, it feels like a good time to review their debut album Pomeroy". 'Polyhedron' occupies the first 9- minutes: its spacey intro opens up the doors wide for the delivery of a solid main body, which somehow sounds to my ears like a middle ground between compatriot band Psicotropia and the sort of progressive adventure incarnated by Chilean bands Exsimio and Flotante. I feel coincidences and compatibilities, not necessarily patterns or influences (I don't know about the, anyway). At the 3 ½ minute mark or so, things get more intense, but it won't be long before the music shifts toward smoother places. At this point, a contemplative aura is being developed right before the unexpected arrival of an explosive climax sets the road for the track's coda. An impressive opener, indeed, and equally impressive is 'Jesse Harding', a track that alternates rocking explosions, humorous excursions in bossa nova moods and constrained pychedelia. 'Suomi' bears an undeniable Don Caballero-eets-Primus feel: its demanding, frantic pace states an open challenge to the rhythmic duo. At the 3'40" mark, things turn to the technical death-metal area, somehow related to the Behold The Archtopus and early Canvas Solaris standards. The later addition of acoustic guitar strumming brings a colorful detail for the pulsating atmosphere that flood the coda all the way to its fade-out. A fade- out? In a case like this, it seems a bit inconvenient to my ears, certainly anti-climatic? but, well, that's what there is, and all in all, this track comprises one of the most brilliant compositional works delivered by the band. 'Boston Steamer' is the longest piece in the album. The first mood states a constrained ambience quite related to space-rock and post- rock, based on a minimalistic idea that is properly refurbished by the dual guitars; the second mood sets things on fire in a sort of "Crimsonized math-rock" way, which finds the band working hard on enhancing the architecture itself. Muscle and precision are the two most defining virtues of JDLC's own progressive voice, and so, in 'Boston Steamer', the foursome made them their actual compositional strategy. 'Antioquía', just like the opener, starts with a spacey intro, a bit longer this time: by now, the delivery of heavy psychedelic riffing, prog metal complexity and math-rock adventure is no surprise, but if more great music has to come from this formula, we must rely on inventive writing, and JDLC continues to write artistically engaging material such as 'Antioquía', and in fact, it turns out to be yet another highlight of "Pomeroy". The album's closer 'Synaesthesia' incarnates a perfect example of vivacity and extroversion in the language of guitar-based prog: it is perfectly coherent to finish this exciting album with such an agile track. Jardín De La Croix is a good reason for the regular prog collector/appreciator to enjoy great aesthetic experiences in the new millennium. Let's pay attention to this band properly!!