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Companyia Elèctrica Dharma - Diumenge CD (album) cover

DIUMENGE

Companyia Elèctrica Dharma

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

4.30 | 39 ratings

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Cesar Inca
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars "Diumenge", the debut album by the pioneers of Catalonian rock-fusion Companyia Eléctrica Dharma, was at the time a great impulse for the development of the avant-garde rock and jazz scenarios; nowadays, it can be truly appreciated as an unforgettable gem of Catalonian jazz-prog that served the band's purpose to boost their own musical voice by exorcising their jazz-dominated influences (akin to Weather Report and early RtF, and also coincidental with Perigeo). First and last, "Diumenge" is a lovely jazz-prog album, and so CED reveal that they have plenty of good ideas to offer to whoever may stop and listen to them. 'Fesomies urbanes' opens up the album with a free-form intro and then deliveres a warm, joyful main body. The overall mood is soaring and thereral, but the colorfulness is petnetly there to be noticed immediately. 'Lila' is a whole different thing: a soft piece led by the acoustic guitar and filled with electric piano washes and soprano sax lines, it delicately brings an array of successively free-jazz, bossanova and Flamenco textures. So beautiful... probably many listeners have taken the time to listen to this piece twice in a row before getting at the next track, and quite rightly so. Again, this album must go on and so we come to 'Capitán Trueno', which actually happens to be a constant CED staple. With its 10+ minute span, it brings back the fusion ambience and works on it with amazing intensity. Esteve Fortuny's guitar solo is one of his best moments ever; additionally, there are no words for me to express the solid power that the rhythm duo provides to the whole sonic scheme. The fact that the sax solo is the last one helps the track to contain itself in its own vibrant colorfulness rght up to the end, which in turn makes sense with the reprise of 'Lila' entitled 'Lalila'. 'Eufória' has a very convenient title: it is an euphoric piece, full of enthusiastic moods and optimistic sensations that will surely affect the listener's mind in a good way. Next are the two parts of 'L'armoniosa simfonia d'un cos': part 1 is mysterious and reflective, part 2 is stated on a funky mid-tempo that partially echoes the cosmic mood of part 1. It's like part 1 portrayed the foggy shades of late afternoon and part 2 focused on the stable blackness of the night - I wouldn't have minded if the fade-out of part 2 had come in later on, but in general, 'L'armoniosa simfonia d'un cos' generates a particular climax for the whole album's framework. 'El "Bailaor" cósmic' starts with an agile grand piano intro, then an introspective electric piano interlude follows, and by the 1 1/2 minute mark the main body is set to express a constrained mode of energetic extrovertiveness. Ultimately, the closer 'Tema dels carrers radioactius' dellivers a fuller extroverted aura, humorous indeed: it is a proper closure for such a colorful album. This CED debut is highly recommended to all prog rock collectors sensitive to the jazzier side of experimental rock.
Cesar Inca | 4/5 |

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