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Brujas Del Sol

Moonliner

Written by: BV on 26/03/2013 14:29:55

Brujas Del Sol is a band that I have not been previously acquainted with, and I really can’t help but wonder why. I mean, they have basically got one of those things going that should have sounded all my alarms, tickled my spider-sense and what not. However, luckily enough I am now sitting here writing a review about just that band and their newest effort “Moonliner” which is the end result of working with three EP’s worth of material (known as the ‘Moonliner’ trilogy) and combining them into one incredibly focused release.

“Moonliner” is the sort of psychedelic album that you can easily get ‘lost’ in. Obviously not in the album itself, but more in the vast scenic soundscapes that a powerful psychedelia record like this one is capable of producing. The opening track “Ships in the Distance” is a prime example of just that, with its swirly meditative droning intro slowly making the way for the psychedelic escapades to come. The guitar on this track is especially meditative, with the repetitive delay-fueled fuzz-guitar riff making the foundation for the track, thoroughly supported by the droning rhythm section and the almost Sci-fi like synth and organ sounds that are carefully layered on top of it all. Vocals are scarce and therefore don’t appear until halfway through the track. But it’s fine as they are blatantly unnecessary on the first part of this track as they would only have hindered the trance-inducing effects of the brilliant instrumentation.

The focus on droning rhythm structures and powerful soundscapes soon becomes an ongoing theme of the album, revealing where Brujas Del Sol obviously feel on top of their game – as they well should. With the track “Conquistadors” Brujas Del Sol quickly takes on a somewhat stoner-sounding edge that suits the soundscape quite well. The heavy riffing that is now being meticulously layered on top of the vast scenic soundscapes of the track is just what is needed to provide some variation to an otherwise incredibly repetitive release, which helps take the whole thing to a new level. When I say repetitive, I don’t mean it in a negative way, as repetition is the most vital ingredient in psychedelic drones and the like – as a drone is essentially a piece of music that is meant to be repeated as a foundation for the track. As such, Brujas Del Sol have mastered the art of repetitive droning mixed with shifting dynamics and varied soundscapes.

I am slowly but steadily falling head-over-heels in love with this album, and I am constantly reassuring myself that it will be a main-stay in my collection for years to come. It may not be brilliantly catchy or a ludicrously innovative album, but it’s solid as hell and fits right into my personal preferences. It requires a few listens before it really sticks, but once it does it sticks completely. While many may find this album to ‘floating’ or ‘far out’ I find it to be just spacy enough for me to get lost in it, but not too spacy to find my way back again.

Download: Conquistador, Baba Yaga, Ships in the Distance
For The Fans Of: Sungrazer, Samsara Blues Experiment, Causa Sui
Listen: facebook.com

Release Date 15.04.2013
Devouter Records