Para Mi

Waves of dreamy synths, vintage drum machines, and friendly vocal harmonies shifting between Spanish and English made up a series of self-produced mixtapes and singles from California's bedroom pop polymath Omar Banos, professionally known as Cuco. His warm, blurry style combined warbly Mac DeMarco-reminiscent guitar tones, muted beats, and strains of bossa nova, synth pop, lovestruck singer/songwriter fare, and even moments of pop-rap. The charming and infectious sound of these homespun productions was enough to stir up a massive buzz and a good old-fashioned bidding war over who would sign the young talent. Working with the major label Interscope Records, Cuco's proper studio debut, Para Mi, continues the warm eclecticism and dreamy romance of his self-produced work, but it sounds decidedly upgraded by a bigger budget and time spent in a proper studio. The songwriting and arrangements aren't dissimilar to early efforts like 2016's wonderfully hazy mixtape Wannabewithu, but where the production on those early efforts tended to be doused in generous reverb and a muffled lo-fi sound, Para Mi scrubs Cuco's sound clean. Standout single "Feelings" gives off a throwback jazz-funk vibe, with electric piano and meandering flute sounds dancing in a light sonic environment with synth horn lines. Every instrument is clearly audible and breathes in the mix, where earlier tunes felt comparatively flattened. A tendency towards genre hopping is one of the first things that stands out on Para Mi, as Cuco jumps from wobbly restless pop on "Keeping Tabs" directly into trappy bossa nova with rap-singing flows on tracks like "Best Friend" or "Bossa No Se" as well as dreamy psychedelia on "Ego Death in Thailand." Lyrically, the songs can be somewhat juvenile, with basic takes on relationship drama, listless boredom, and falling in love. A clearer sound makes Cuco's naïve perspectives easier to see and takes away some of the shaggy charm of his blown-out bedroom sounds. That said, Para Mi renders some of the best elements of his songwriting into more accessible forms. Removing the layers of fuzz leaves Cuco's multi-colored songwriting in clear view, revealing an artist still finding his way. This can make for moments of awkwardness, but it also brings his endearing vulnerabilities to the forefront. ~ Fred Thomas