Electronic novelty, released in July 2023 on the label Publimaster Discos, which specializes in new age guitar music, flamenco and Hispanic pop music. The album «Otros Mundos» in the repertoire of this label was an unexpected and pleasant exception for me. This is beautiful and minimalist electronics with elements of non-ethnic new age and contemplative ambient. There are no Spanish rhythms, guitars, and drums here, although the project participant Ana Graciela (Ann Grace is her creative pseudonym, with which she has already released 8 full-length albums) is Spanish. The second member of this project — Daniel Löwen — is also a Spaniard, but apparently this is his first album project (in any case, I could not find Daniel's other albums on the net, but there are several track-collaborations with another electronic artists).
In other words, we have an electronic musical project quite unusual for Spanish culture, more gravitating towards the traditions of the Berlin and French electronic schools, but also involving spiritual meditation philosophy.
«Otros Mundos» is an invitation to get acquainted with the Worlds that, like layers of an onion, or cabbage leaves, envelop our familiar World, the highest dimensions of which we most often do not see behind the bustle of life. But this music will help you to see it… or, perhaps, to put it more correctly, it will help you to hear it. Although the sound palette is quite visual, and has that same turquoise hue that dominates the album cover.
Looking at the cover, I thought it was a journey into space — to other unknown planets and stars. But — no — not exactly to there, although some spirit of cosmism is also present in this album. Just it is not literal.
The restrained rhythmic of some compositions will tell an experienced electronics lover that the sound of the album is largely shaped by one of the key musical instruments of the modern era — Korg WAVESTATE. This device brings to the sound palette of most tracks that layering, which perfectly balances the original compositional minimalism.
More about minimalism: bright and noticeable parties of the foreground in the tracks are found only when the listener manages to miss them, but not later than this time, which is a “hit on the bull's-eye” – exactly when they are needed, when you passionately desire them. This, in my opinion, is the main advantage of the album: temperance is harmony.
Sometimes the most beautiful vocal timbres suddenly flare up as solo parts, the synthetic of which only adorns these electronic canvases.
But if we talk about harmony, composed of notes and chords, then most of the time of the album's sounding it is the pads that sing graceful sequences of triads that immerse the listener in a peaceful state of meditation. And they will carry someone into space — without a specific direction — into free flight.
Of the 9 tracks on the album, 7 songs were written by Ana and Daniel jointly. The two final tracks each of the co-authors of this album created alone, and these tracks are somewhat different.
No. 8 — «Etérea» by Ana Graciela is perceived by me as a classic meditation of unity with the earthly elements of Water, Air and Sunlight.
No. 9 — «La Reina de Mi Isla» by Daniel Löwen suddenly takes you back to Space — towards the starlight and is a perfect conclusion to the album, implying that this is not the end of the story, but only the end of some part of it.
Where to listen to the album:
- https://www.beatport.com/release/otros-mundos/4167951
- https://www.amazon.es/music/player/albums/B0C8HHX16L
- https://open.spotify.com/album/53NgPZ0chJZN38Kfxzr8OF
- https://www.deezer.com/en/album/455070305
- https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l1zxgBTg8ZvdasJXjdIVAnxLjb4fxqpxk
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_llm4976Tg1wFCHcIwLYlbVJzn5i2exu7w
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