Humming Sun Ra's "Door of The Cosmos", we direct our attention to Paris-based Venezuelan trio Insólito UniVerso and their brand-new sophomore full-length on Olindo Records. "Ese Puerto Existe" ('that port exists') is the follow-up to the group's fascinating 2018 debut "La Candela del Río" and sees them continuing to explore the possibilities of Venezuelan music with dreamlike ease. Heralded by an EP last September containing the title track and another tune not included on the album, their latest eight track effort is truly in a realm of its own.
Maria Fernanda Ruette (lead vocals and composition, cuatro), Raúl Monsalve (bass, percussion, vocals) and Edgar Bonilla Jiménez (keyboards, vocals) open an alternate door to the folkloric sounds of their native Venezuela without succumbing to nostalgic sentiment. Instead, the three reimagine the plethora of traditional Venezuelan styles (joropo, merengue, gaita de tambora, gaita de furro, fulia and tamunangue), rooted in Afro-diasporic culture, with contemporary aplomb and a knack for creating the most gorgeous, ethereal and borderline psychoactive melodies that stick.
Mixed by Malcolm Catto (The Heliocentrics), Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers) and Venezuelan engineer Fidel Goa, "Ese Puerto Existe" is a brilliant, shimmering mesh of sound, ably interweaving intricate rhythms and airy vocals with cosmic synths and otherworldly effects that will literally blow your mind. Each track takes its time to reveal a new dimension, layer by layer, taking supposed boundaries in stride and, quite simply, having fun with it. Such is the impression this album made on us, as we rise up from the couch to flip the record one more time.