LEAVS : 'Natura Universal"

 

This dream poppy-shoegazing band from Spain, gets the classic sound right, without just being a slave to tradition. The woozy guitars are jangling, and the swathes of sonic melodies being squeezed from delay pedals are in place, along with androgynous airy vocals. There are both male and female vocals in the mix on the opening song, the first track being more of an intro, it took a couple listens for that part to sink in. "In a Time' has some cool guitar parts, but they totally bury the vocals which float off to the back of the song, it still works for what this is but hinders the song from being at maximum effectiveness. 

The bass line to "Falling Ceilings" is fuzzed out and really going for it as the vocals are still shoved to the back of the mix. Just present enough to hear that their cooing is still there. "Ligeia" is a darker title than what unfolds, in fact, the vocals that attempt to crawl out from behind the wall of woozy guitars, are some of the album;'s more hopeful melodies. They have a good sound but are beginning to need some dynamic shifts at this point in the album so we will see what the next song holds. "Framed Blue" ebbs down as the vocal tries to find an entry point in the atmospheric haze. But they succeed in breaking from the pulse that was driving this album up until this point, allowing the chorus and out. 

"Stay Ease" has enough of the pop sensibility to the dream-pop side of the equation for the vocals to move out behind the murk of effects and play the needed role to pull the song together. They do not have to compromise on the expansive breadth of guitar that consumes their sound to achieve this, just pushing the vocals forward in the mix, but all the other heavily ambient clouds of sound are still in the sky of this song. The last song "Slow Ember" drifts in a more distorted haze, though the melody can still be discerned, the vocals are not as present as the previous song, but it's a little darker so that works. When she goes up into her higher register, it cuts through more. I'll give this a 9.5, they are not out to make an accessible record and that is fine, the mood is dense and I like it. The emotions feel honest to me and that goes a long way.