Cristobal and the Sea's second LP is a recipe for sending our troubles away
"Exitoca"
Originally formed by the Portuguese Joao Seixas (vocals, guitar), French Leila Seguin (vocals, flute), and Spanish Alejandro Romero (vocals, bass) while they were all students at Loughborough university, Cristobal and the Sea completed their peculiarly international set up by adding Franco-American Elliott Arndt and Egyptian Youssef Ibrahim to the mixture.
Together they have created an album which is at the very least a strong breath of fresh air to anyone who listens to it. The uniqueness of their sound comes not from a melting together of their distinctive musical identities into one insipid composition, but from the acknowledgement and celebration of their differences into a musical rainbow.
Their sounds reveal influences from completely different musical traditions. Portuguese melancholic melodies are combined with Brazilian cheerful rhythms and chords in songs such as "Salsa Dude" or "Before Nine". "Goat Flokk" - a song described by the band as having a ‘Brazilian Tropicalia-like speed and rhythm’ - adds an unexpected twist of Syrian pop music which only makes you want to dance even more than you already did.
Exitoca is a successful attempt at carrying us into a world of good feelings. It is a recipe for sending our troubles far, far away.
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