Mestis
En Vivo – Sumerian Records
There always seems to be something so humbling about purely instrumental records. You could use big words like ethereal, transcendence, beguiling*, but the honest truth is that playing an instrument like this takes so much practice and talent, it’s jaw dropping to those of us who have adopted the ‘if you look like you know what you’re doing, you’re half way there’ philosophy. So come and have a listen to some supreme human beings showing us how it should be done. A WAGOLL** if you will. Mestis is Javier Reyes, who you may remember from such bands as Animals As Leaders. Each track on ‘En Vivo’ is a live recording from performances in different US and Canadian cities. Friends, it’s like being there for real. ‘En Vivo’ is a welcome opportunity to live vicariously – especially at the minute. There are so many styles and flavours going on here. So many instrumental inspirations to take you out of yourself and into wherever your imagination cares to take you. Mesmerising.***
*add your own dictionary warranting word here.
**What A Good One Looks Like.
***What is it with all these asterisks??? Seriously!!!
Review by Jo ‘Asterisk’ Wright