Psicotropia - Psicotropia - 2003
intro
Psicotropia is a progressive rock band coming from the city of Madrid (Spain) that consists of 4 members: Pablo Tato on guitars, some voices and bass parts, Jaime Mariscal plays bass and keyboards, in the rhythmic section we find Juan Llull playing drums and to end up: Nacho Cuevas, the voice of the band.
review
Some months ago, progVisions received this, their new CD, foregone edited by themselves so now we prepare to analyze it minutely. The truth is that we had only phonographic material about this band with that which is difficult to know something about them. We will analyze strictly the musical thing that at the end it is the truly important thing. A concise design but very well done (better than many professional disks) receives us while we open the CD holder. We introduce the CD in the Hi Fi and it begins with "Negro", a quite atmospheric and somniferous intro that guides us inside the album. "Madre Tierra" startles us with a hard beginning, like the bands of progressive rock of the 70s. The first surprise comes when we listen as the song is sung in English although its title is in Spanish language, thing that plunders us unaware. Already from the first minutes think that this album won't be very conventional. Strange melodies and rhythm changes forgives us with the impatience to listen the following song. "PQTQ" is an instrumental one in which we can appreciate a good dose of melody. They have remind me to the fantastic band called Cairo but without the great keyboard quantity that characterizes them. "Suite Urdalia" is the longest song of the album. Divided in six parts we can find several instrumental & vocal passages (this time sung in Spanish) that starts from atmospheric parts to harder & psycadelic parts based mostly on the rhythmic complexity. "Cinco Mundos" is the following track, also instrumental, in which we can appreciate Jaime Mariscal´s virtuosity playing bass above the other instruments. In "Viaje en Re" we can appreciate the collaboration of Iván Caramés playing cello parts in a quicker track but that continuous in the same wave that the previous ones. Psychedelic letters can be found in the following song call "Bajo el Oceano del Sueño". In this occasion they have opted for a more sensitive sound but without losing the "progressive" thing in their music. "Discotropia" is, as its own name indicates, a song to dance. More concentration in the continuous rhythms being able to be one of the hardest topics of the album. Elisa Puerto and Iván Orosa collaborates in "Oigo Voces", penultimate track of the album in which they use the flute again, an instrument that is not used lately among the bands of current progressive rock. "Delicada Sal Titánica" is the last song of the album. A soft piano enters to the voice of Álvaro Tato that carries out a prodigious reading dedicated to the epic & fantasy that makes us dream when we read or see a movie picture. An worthy end of this CD, that... why don´t say it? This leaves us catatonic! & with the mouth open and without being able to react during a couple of hours.
conclusion
After some listening's of this so experimental work we can say that Psicotropia is a band with a lot of future inside the symphonic/progressive scene. Only one lack, the sound of the CD is not all the satisfactory that one could expect. Surely due to the difficulties to record in a great studio. It would not miss me to see them in the famous Radio 3 live shows, it could be a good sign. On the other hand I would not know how to say if the people is prepared to listen a complex music as which Psicotropia plays. But only time will tell. Good Luck!