Andres Y Xavi / Vibraciones Y Sentimientos

Following on from the review of Coyotes Buzzard Country, and trying to keep this week “Balearic”, here’s some more new music obsessed with The White Isle and the Cafe Del Mar of yesteryear. Cut from similar cloth as, and possibly inspired by, the music of Timm and Ampo, is Andres Y Xavi`s Vibraciones Y Sentimientos.

Another obvious influence of Andres Y Xavi`s is DJ Shadow. Shadow-esque, Entroducing-like, breaks accompany most of the tracks. The production is also vintage-sounding. Like those David Axelrod records that old Shadow borrowed from. Andres Y Xavi even go as far as covering DJ Shadow`s This Time. Though their version actually finds them at their most Coyote-esque. Sampling 60s Hippies hanging out at Punta Arabia, and experimenting with Dub. Sampled dialogue peppers the album. There are clips of The Farm, taken from A Short Film About Chilling. Describing the contrast between the native poverty and tourist excess found on La Isla Blanca. Plus a whole host of folks trying to define “Balearic”. Smokey Muscle Shoals organ plays, strings swoon, and Kosmische synths blink like distant stars. Giving an overall “vibe” somewhere between Mo`Wax and the Sunday Best of Bent and Dan Mass. All “Boom Bap” tempo`d, adorned by cascading Indie “neo-acoustic” guitar jangle. Like The Stone Roses by way of Horsebeach.

Underworld and J-Walk also get covered. The latter, a version of Soul Vibration (retitled Soul Vibraciones) being one of the record`s standouts. Hitting you twice. First with an ace break, and then an electric solo. Another winner is Estrella, whose mix of Sci-Fi and Folk had me thinking of Brian Protheroe`s Pinball. While My Albi – which can also be found on Eclectics` Love Volume 1 compilation – brings to mind Richard Schneider Jr.`s Crazy World. The kind of mad Prog Rock treasure usually unearthed on a Psychemagik mix / comp. Or found in Lovefingers Fingertracks archive.

Digital is available now, and a limited vinyl run is due in October. You can order both over at Bandcamp.