MADRE ATOMICA

The album opens with what initially seems like a pleasant indulgence in Jazz Fussion. Good rhythm & melody, sophisticated harmony, but nothing else. The main sonic references here can be the Pat Metheny Group of that era, or, more accurately, the instrumental component of the Spinetta Jade band. But the point is that that it's only the beginning of a journey delving deeper into a series of austere miniatures that turn more and more idiosyncratic, personal and beautiful with each track. There are ethnic (track 4 A Tierra Húmeda), soundscaping (track 6 Para Dino), and even arty (track 8 Julia En Primavera) moments here, but the journey itself remains the main thing to appreciate and embrace.

Immersive and warm, and even so, distant and moody. In one word? Allow me two: unique and precious.