Pablo Malaurie: Pan Caliente

(This is the first post in a new series entitled Pan Caliente — highlighting young bands producing amazing music in Spanish-speaking countries)

We kick off this feature with an artist that I first wrote about for KCRW three years ago.

Back then he had released a heartfelt ode to Japanese folk music in the form of “El Festival del Beso”. It had a minimalist intensity that ran rampant over 11 melancholy tracks making it one of my favorite albums of 2010.

I had listened to this album incessantly for 2 years before wondering if Pablo Malaurie had released any new music. Coincidentally, around the same time, I received an email link to an advanced single with the directive, “Disfruta.”(Enjoy)

The track, “El Beat de la Cuestión”, which is also aptly the title of the album, was an upbeat, pop infused and playful anthem!

There were now drums, keys, and programing overdubs added to the distinct nasally vocals that had haunted me since the first time I listened to it.

I would declare there has been an amazing musical growth, but the truth is Malaurie simply returns back to meet halfway between what he offered up in the restrained El Festival del Beso and the music he had once created with his former psychedelic, indie rock outfit Mataplantas.

Even though he has now added a great deal of instrumentation to his sound, there are still hints of his melancholy ballads in tracks like “Desalineada” and a strangely titled track referencing actor Seymour Cassel.

With these he creates enough of a balance to not alienate those who were expecting to hear more of the same, yet it adds an electro flair that places him at the vanguard of new Indie Rock in Argentina.

Independently released and spreading through word of mouth based solely on its musical merit, Pablo Malaurie has once again delivered an album that’s a top contender for Year End Lists. Bien hecho!

Stream a track off the album, “Interferencias Totales“, and download it here!