The musical project made from classical music trained duo Jimena Rodriguez and Nicolas Weiss, Cafe Velorio is a Montevideo based dark pop/art rock project that’s deeply dramatic and tense through the EP. There’s a brooding quality through the record, catalysed and brought to life in the first track itself which feels like its building to some sort of intense climax with hushed over foreboding vocals and a unique bassline. It feels almost post apocalyptic in parts, slightly dystopian and haunting. In just three minutes, UN ÁGUILA CAZÓ UN TIBURÓN EN MIAMI (AN EAGLE CAUGHT A SHARK IN MIAMI), somehow shifts style, genre, and mood with such effortless ease.
Hearing this record from where I stand in the world obviously leaves me a bit blind sided given the language barrier. But Balada en Cinco Dosis is so powerful in setting moods through instrumentations, arrangements, and vocal accentuations alone that you’re left almost entirely transfixed and intrigued to what they’re going to do next. They’re consistently dark, creating a horror inspired record that leaves you feeling uneasy but also has your attention so piqued that you can’t turn away. The way each song progresses, the ability to shift from a certain style and structure to another without a single block making it feel forced is what makes Balada en Cinco Dosis such a revelation.
It’s an art rock record with progressive elements strewn all across. Taking inspiration from a host of other artistic works and real life events, each track on the record has a vibe that’s unique but constant with the overarching darkness that Cafe Velorio illuminate onto their listeners. One of the most interesting records I’ve had the pleasure to discover.