Having gone to the minimalist electronica brink with
Caribe Atómico,
Aterciopelados take a step back toward more accessible song forms on their fourth release. The spare arrangements remain built on textures and the group still hasn't returned to the rock fold, but there is more flesh to these songs' bones right from the opener, "Luz Azul." Having served his studio-smarts apprenticeship on earlier efforts (especially
Caribe Atómico),
Héctor Buitrago handles the production himself. "El Álbum" retains a bit of a Latin feel, and "Uno Lo Mio y Lo Tuyo" and the singalong ode to human oneness, "La Misma Tijera," have chorus hooks that stick. The melody and closing vocals to "Transparente" are a perfect match for
Andrea Echeverri's vocal personality, and so are the spacy sound effects that
Buitrago inserts into the arrangements. But the fact that this collection of songs isn't that strong and that
Echeverri's undeniable vocal charm can't work its usual wonders raises some questions.
Gozo Poderoso is probably the least essential release by
Aterciopelados, and one that makes you wonder more than a little where they're headed. ~ Don Snowden