There’s plenty of mythology surrounding Latin people. Every magical realism novel, every Latin player who singlehandedly wins the football World Cup, and all the travel stories just deepen the myth. So much has been said, or more often than not, implied, that you may not know which information to trust. All you need to know is that this just suits the people of the Latin country themselves. They thrive among great mysteries.
If anything, the people of Argentina, as well as their ancestors from countries like Italy or Spain, are great softies and terrible romantics. Theirs is not a road to everything life is, but everything that it could be. Choosing a band name like El Poder de la Infancia (“The Power of Childhood”) and playing exploratory post-rock is to adhere to these great enigmas.
The two songs that make up “Campamento” are geared toward exploration. The musicians, versed in the art of playing jazz, post-rock and psychedelic sounds, are finely attuned to each other. But they have no clear map or precise indications. Nah, they’re pulling in the same direction, and whatever it is that they need to find will be made clear once it is shown to them.
“Campamento” is released by the Tunitemusic record label, which specializes in contemporary recordings which tend to blend jazz, classical, experimental and ambient sounds.
The single’s opener, “Ascensor”, describes the very start of something. It’s the soundtrack to discovering something Earth-shattering and surrendering to it. The music is dynamic, with the groove swaying back and forth like being dragged in and out of the sea.
In fact, the Latin beat is the only constant here. Funky guitar and bass lines prop it up before dissolving out of the mix. Piano chords whisper softly. And the textures created by the synthesiser work to create something resembling an incantation.
Where does it all stop? It doesn’t. The spell isn’t broken by the routine of stopping the song once the run time is done. The excitement of “Ascensor” leads seamlessly into the second piece of the single, “Purificación.”
Here, jazz efficiency meets endless dreaming. Tricky, relentless bass parts are stopped and give way for lush, dreamy piano chords before the song returns to its captivating rhythm.
Once again, the song doesn’t stay in one place for too long. For the outro, the bass and drums lock into an intricate pattern, while the synths and lead guitar offer the whole piece its much-needed crescendo.
Do you believe in magic? You might need to in order to appreciate “Campamento” fully and as the musicians involved intended. But if that’s not your thing, merely wanting to be swept up by well-played jazz and psychedelic rock should be enough to make you thoroughly enjoy the single.
Social media links
