Italian cosmic couriers San Leo return with fifth album, ’Aves Raras’: a resounding statement of intent, arguably their most accomplished and well-rounded effort so far.
Clocking in at around 38 minutes, “Aves Raras” has it all: analog slag of tribal ritual music, bold guitar riffs, shimmering layers of synths. Frantic grooves, ghostly vocals, dazzling walls of noise and pastoral tonal passages – the ultimate call to enlightenment through euphoria.
Over again, San Leo prove to be inclined to explore new pathways in their sonic journey, without relying on formulas of any kind. It doesn’t get any tighter, crucial, and most alive than this.
Mixed by Grammy and Emmy-winning producer and sound engineer based in Berlin, Francesco Donadello.
credits
released November 17, 2023
Recorded by Andrea Scardovi at Duna Studio. Drums recorded by Yuri Pierini at Blue Audio Studio. Additional recording by San Leo. Mixed by Francesco Donadello at Kalimba Studio and Synecdoche Music Research, Berlin. Mastered by Giovanni Versari at La Maestà.
"If you’re a long-term fan of one or more of the participating groups or of modern acid rock in general, you won’t need much convincing to add this gem to your collection. But even if you’re completely unfamiliar with this whole scene, yet interested in dipping your toes into the wide world of spaced-out guitar music, I would highly recommend this idealized ISS homage as a gateway experience to the genre."
my full review on Veil of Sound:
https://veilofsound.com/2022/09/23/VA-ISS_Vol1.html Der Ohlsen
Roaring space rock from this London group, with every instrument turned up to 10, and all of the songs reaching stunning crescendos. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 9, 2019