by John Brouk
Every once in a while, the genre used to describe an album seems too good, too cool, to be true. If I told you there was a stellar new Brazilian psychedelic krautrock record you needed to hear, you may not believe it. When you realize it's the newest from frequent Built to Spill-collaborator and stalwart experimental psych jazz rockers, Oruã, you might just become a believer.
Out now on K Records, Oruã’s newest full-length is called Slacker, which could be interpreted ironically considering we’re being treated to it less than a year after the band’s previous album PASSE, and just a month after their split EP with Reverse Death. The album sees the band continue to weave together jazz, psych rock, 90’s-tinged slacker rock, and krautrock, this time in a subtly higher fidelity than some previous recordings. These are songs to get lost in, entranced by, with meandering and sidewinding instrumentals that are grounded in the tight teamwork of the band’s rhythm section. Jazzy drums and bass never miss a beat, providing the rock solid structure for toppling towers of fuzzy and feedback-filled guitars. The vocals fit in perfectly and provide a lightness and innocence that contrasts the heavy intertwined guitar lines. The songs always remain grounded in a base of grungy psych rock and never float away into too esoteric of territory.
Sprinkled throughout there are touches of improvisational free jazz, like the sax freakout on the latter half of “México Suite,” which acts as the forebearer of the song’s chaotic and jammy ending. A wailing, wonton sax can also be found in one of the album’s litany of sinister and sneering slow burners “Inaiê.” The layer of different instruments, guitars, acoustic, percussive instruments, synths, saxophone, and all sorts of other surprises makes the record a very interesting and enjoyable listen.
The tracklist is a near perfect balance of the long-form krauty dirges and crunchy, sneakily melodic, riff-laden songs like “Deus-Dará,” “Marejar,” and standout “Casual.” These tracks showcase a sonic lineage with the band’s frequent collaborator Doug Martsch of Built to Spill. The album was actually produced with the help of former Built to Spill guitarist Jim Roth, but Oruã is doing way more than reheating Built to Spill’s leftovers. They write their own unique recipes of sprawling and droning guitars with a sense of melody that see them expanding and pioneering far past what was once known. It’s a kraut and jazz-heavy auditory feast, with enough of the 90s alt rock sound to ensure us that the album’s name is appropriate.
Songs like “De se Envolver” see the band airing it out a bit, with the ethereal whirring of synths and jazz drum beat. This track features Caxtrinho and the combination of higher and lower vocals creates a communal and almost spiritual feel, like some ancient spirit is being conjured. The guitar solos are pointillist, dotting and splitting notes over the washy, spacy synths. A similar effect is achieved on “Inaie,” with its skewed bassline and the percussive sounds of rattles and whispering winds that bring to mind Tago Mago-era CAN.
The whole thing ends with a somewhat surprising and sparse acoustic guitar track backing, eerie synths, and what at times seems like heavily distorted strings. It helps contrast the spectacle of swirling guitar acrobatics and at the same time shows Oruã’s grasp of how to craft beautiful songs regardless of style. A big win for the band and for music lovers, Slacker is out now!