Edu Comelles/Sergi Palau - About Berlanga


 

Released: October 7 

About Berlanga has a certain poise to it that somewhat difficult to articulate. But this collaboration between musician Edu Comelles and visual artist Sergi Palau really hangs in the air with its critical look at nostalgia. Through the combination of mediums, these two artists ask why much of what was relevant 30, 40, even 50 years ago is still relevant today without really looking for or providing a concrete answer. Instead,  much of what we experience he is just a reflection on the subject itself. This reflection occurs through three distinct movements that become progressively brighter and less conflicted sonically as the album goes on. 

Through three wispy and passively interrogative tracks, we are sent into an exploration of the most recent past and our unexplained obsession with it. It feels kind of odd at first, but shortly after the surprisingly organic instrumentation carries us away and into the thick of it. Pianos, plucked strings, and picked fretless basses merge intuitively with electronic sounds and fuzzy field recordings with the first of these three tracks feeling the darkest of all. “Plcd” feels much like wandering through a thick and mired bog with shadowy tones and soft noises. It feels so minimal for much of its runtime but manages to convey a depth beyond, almost like wandering into a void. The other two tracks contrast this by incorporating bright and more natural sounding tones, including a spectacular acoustic guitar on “MrMrshll.” This guitar has certainly been manipulated in various ways but it still maintains its brightness and warmth, playing out peacefully among a mostly synthesized background.   


Comments

Popular Posts