Piloto Records, Chile
Rating: 74
by Giovanni Guillén
Chile’s reputation to outsiders as a pop paradise gave the country a one-sided spotlight. This left many genres -it’s rap scene and electronic pioneers- out of the conversation. Indie-rock was ignored as well, but this wasn’t an altogether bad thing. Over a short period of time we’ve seen newcomers that favor guitars pop up all over the place. Their evolution into full-fledged stardom is still far off, but they are flourishing nonetheless.
Last year we discovered burgeoning acts such as Las Olas, Velódromo, and Playa Gótica. Piloto Records also added their share of names to remember. It was through this netlabel that we met Franco Perucca. Perucca has paid his dues in a number of bands, playing with Patio Solar and El Cómodo Silencio de los que Hablan Poco (ECSDLQHP). Under the name Ablusión, the Chilean artist ventures solo with Soluciones Temporales.
The EP is a tight set of four songs (five with an interlude) bursting with ideas. Not all of them work, but they don’t really need to. Traces of hardcore line the opener and title track, barely outpacing the lo-fi layers. The melodies spin and still remain accessible and light. “Comenzar” emits a static-lined guitar collaged between a whimsical dream-pop. Perucca counters this twee moment feigning detachment. It happens again on the closer and strongest track “Miremos al Espacio-sayi.” This time, the singer shows more of his romantic side (“cubrirte con mis brazos / que miremos juntos el espacio / hasta que estemos unidos”) then retreats behind a brazen psychedelic finish. Soluciones Temporales whizzes by leaving a fresh impression on nostalgic sounds.