UNINVITED DREAMS

This talented quartet releases their sixth album. I've started following them, quite by chance, starting at their third album, Three Seats Behind A Triangle and have been hooked since (I reviewed their two previous albums and interviewed the band as well in 2009). I feel that with each album they progressed with their sound and production. But the familiar sound from Three Seats is still here, that somewhat murky signature, spell-binding spirit it sill present and permeates through every song.

The drummer, Adam Podzimski,is again the writer of the lyrics, about dreams that one wishes he'd forget as soon as he wakes up, undesired dreams that come though they are unwanted.

A great addition here is the female vocals by Natalia Krakowiak, which add a compelling layer to their sound and counteract Lukasz's vocals, which I stated in my previous reviews were a soft spot for the band. Though, by now, I'm comfortable with them, and they fit well with the softer moments, there are places where I wish a cruder and fuller voice would be added to complement the more powerful sections.

The sound is again, rich, heavy, dense and thick. The keyboards are given a major role, as can be particularly heard in the title track where it leads the way, and in other songs where it creates eerie and alluring strokes and brushes of sounds that back up the melody and add to it. But the role of the guitar is not diminished as one can hear in the sharp sounding guitar throughout the album and also on the lead role and solo in it has on Is That Devil From Spain Too?.

Listen also to the competent drumming in both the fast and aggressive parts as well as in the mellow and slower paced segments. Which brings me to the next point: Variety and dynamics are characteristics of Osada Vida's sound here as well. They can be heavy and powerful as they can be dreamy and soft. And this variety comes to play in the rather long songs on this album: four songs over 10 minutes, and two others over 8 minutes. They make excellent use of each minute on these songs, developing the ideas they present, building tension, introduce alternate directions and build up on contrasting sounds, rhythms and moods.

We are also introduced to two connected instrumental pieces, one which serves as the intro for the other: the first piece has an acoustic guitar with ominous sounding chords and a Spanish flavour. The second has the electric guitar take over, and having a "fiesta" of its own for more than 9 minutes. It becomes quite heavy at some places, metal-ish even (I was reminded a bit of Riverside's more aggressive songs at one point). But proper balance is given when the keyboards are "allowed" to join in and where the guitar takes a softer approach, somewhat jazzy in style even. They create here their most varied composition with several sections that contrast each other with their intensity levels, pace and in approach as well. These two pieces present a somewhat different side of Osada Vida that I'd like to hear more of.

There is quite a lot to absorb here, over an hour of music, and add to that 3 bonus tracks (one is an edit of the title track), you're in for a treat. I find this to be their most accomplished and varied album to date, with the most captivating tunes they've created, absolutely marvelous.

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