If you wanted to track down an album with more different types of instruments being utilized, then look no further than this rather unusual but compellingly different feast from the Galileo Brothers.
While the main body of the album features some predictable instrumentation, such as guitars, keyboards, mandolin, marimba, strings, horns and bass, we are also introduced to some rather unknown equipment such as quena, favela, bimbo, vihuela, yutta, tupan, ney, rik, tar and guacharaca. If you pull out your Panamanian version of the Funk & Wagnall, you'll probably locate some of these instruments amongst the many listings as this is where this album was recorded. I must confess to having never heard of many of them.
While predominantly instrumental, there are some occasional vocal sections although these are more of the breathed voicing variety. There is no real singing in the traditional sense but in all honesty, this is not missed at all. Featuring some rather laid back ethnically infused flavours, the songs adopt a somewhat droning sound but keep things in perspective by changing the underlying themes and melodies of which there are many. Consisting of 13 separate, untitled tracks, I detect an intention on the part of the writers to fully draw the listener in by weaving the melodies and themes in and out with a fair degree of regularity. Musically, the ideas are fairly well presented with a level of melancholy that makes for a rather pleasant experience but without any one track or section really shining.
Think of a very laid back Mike Oldfield, with some influences from Deuter, Gandalf or even Saturnalia Trio, introduce some more ethnicity into the equation and no, I'm afraid you'll still have no idea of the sound I am trying to describe. Sorry, but this is a little different from the norm.
While it was unexpected to see something new from an area which quite frankly, I would not have thought possessed a large number of talented musicians, this offering certainly dispels that misconception completely. The players certainly have a important role in the way the emotional importance of each song is accentuated. Where mood and somberness are required, the musicians oblige accordingly while in the few upbeat sections that are sprinkled throughout, they change their camouflage as required.
As interesting as this album is however, I don't believe it would generate a large amount of interest amongst so many other recent releases vying for your dollar as its replayability would come into question after less than a dozen listens.
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