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Savath Y Savalas ‘la llama’ (stones throw). Apologies that this took so long to find its way onto our hi-fi after being rooted out from the bottom of a very tall and tottering listening pile where it was found mooching solemnly a tad unloved. Since that discovery a week or so ago the blighter has rarely been out of the hi-fi’s ear shot whereupon its been something of a late night winding down soundtrack around these here parts. Of course much to our embarrassment its been out and about for a month or so, the more in tune among you are probably well versed with it having satiated yourselves on its beguiling charms until full and have no doubt since moved on in search of pastures anew for the next turntable nugget - who said the awesome Gaslamp Killer set on Finders Keepers eh? ‘la llama’ is the second full length from duo Scott Herren (who you may well recognise in his Prefuse 73 guise) and Eva Puyuelo following their well received debut ‘apropa’t’ a few years ago which to much grumbling and moments of teeth gnashing we appear to have missed out on. This release comprised of sixteen tracks sees their ranks swelled by the addition Roberto Carlos Lange. The original concept of Savath Y Savalas’ was borne of a desire to translate the elements of late 60’s and early 70’s era South American psych and archaic folk sounds and relocate them into a modernist Catalan / Castellano setting. ’La Llama’ provides for a richly intoxicating tapestry of sound, the dream weaving collages woo and waft with whisperish seduction, so softly unobtrusive and delicately crafted you’d be forgiven for not immediately catching upon it deceptively demurring hazes of swirling serenades of hymnal folk / psyche mirages and lushly lilting lounge pop tropicalia flavourings - best evidence in our view via ’las 7 sendas’. reference wise ’La Llama’ takes its cue from the much missed Le Mans (especially on ‘no despierta’) and Anna D, though scratch away at its woozy and spectral pastoral glazes and some of you may be inclined to revisit your Damon and Naomi collection - especially their collaboration with Ghost - for a quick cross check appraisal for what you have here is something that‘s all at once sleek and slick, enchanting, trippy, dreamy, sultry, love sick and utterly beautiful in both design and texture. The entrancing spectral romance of the ghost like lounge lulls of ‘la loba’ have to be heard to be believed, an affectionate apparition of sound that to these ears sounds like a frost tipped lysergic gathering of blissed out members of Wendy and Bonnie and the Free Design recalibrating gems originally conceived by Os Mutantes. Likewise ‘untitled‘ veers with more vivid realisation into soundscapes initially envisaged on Stereolab‘s ‘sound dust‘. Elsewhere as though captivated by some dream like slumber ’me voy’ soon begins to stretch, yawn and emerge into focus blossoming seductively with a deeply alluring euphoric pop glow much like some long lost recent vault rescued nugget from the early 70’s replete with a free spirited Aquarian detailing that’s longingly dappled and dimpled by moments of heart arresting bewitchment. In short ’la llama’ is an exquisitely fused aural alchemy of intoxicating measure.
MARK BARTON
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