All the song titles are in Spanish. And if you couldn’t tell from earlier, my command of that language is very poor so I won’t even bother attempting translations. But it’s really cool how it fits in with the whole Latin feel of “Basal Ganglia”. To kick things off, you have “Te Mato”, which was actually partially released in a promo awhile back to hype up this record a few months back. You can take a look/listen here or above. It’s cool to hear some brass in there. Really great track that sets the tone for the release. “Semilla” kicks ass with a fusion feel and intelligent composition. The inclusion of bongos in the mix is a welcome one. The two shortest tracks on the release “Olvidala” and the EP closer “Luz y Cielo” especially have that “David” vibe I was describing earlier, although they certainly stand out on their own. This brings me to my favorite song on “Basal Ganglia”, “Menta”. Javier goes all out on this track. Next level composition, progressions, and thought went into this one. I especially enjoy his use of counterpoint here.
If you honestly can’t tell by now, “Basal Ganglia” is most definitely a recommended release. Especially for all the prog-heads out there and just about anyone who enjoys large doses of creativity. I applaud Javier Reyes on his efforts, and we at The Circle Pit look forward to all his future releases. If you enjoy what you’re hearing, be sure to grab a copy of “Basal Ganglia” right here and stay tuned!
