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Reviews

Pigmy — Manifestación
(Guerssen GUESS069, 2020, CD)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2021-05-18

Manifestación Cover art

Pigmy is the solo project of Vicente Maciá, founding member and guitarist of the 90s Spanish psych band Carrots that released four albums between 1999 and 2004 and disbanded around 2005. Pigmy is Vincente’s alter ego and a family nickname. Not a prolific musician, Pigmy’s first solo album Miniaturas was released in 2006, Hamsterdam in 2014, and now Manifestación in 2020. With the Carrots and Pigmy being unknown to me, Manifestación took me totally by surprise. I was blown away by the first notes coming from my speakers with his multi-tracked a cappella Gregorian chant “Ut Queant Laxis.” That sets the stage for the psych / folk rock / baroque pop / Elizabethan / medieval amalgam playing vintage instruments that draws from Gryphon, Amazing Blondel, and the Waverly Consort, to name a few. The title track is simply outstanding, beginning as an acoustic pastorale that develops into a strong psych jam with trumpets, organ, and sitar. All tracks were written by Pigmy except for “Ut Queant Laxis” by Pablo el Diácono and “Lachrimae Pavan,” a courtly instrumental by John Dowland. Multi-instrumentalist Maciá is supported on various songs by Xavi Lozano (flute), Paco Loco (guitars), Freddy Forner (organ), Enrique Forner (drums), Carlos Yoder (tabla), Ramón Figueras (trumpet), Moisés Maroto (flute), Jordi Montero (violin), Pello García (whislte), David Faure (percussion), Eli Martín (vocals), and Antonio Torres (drums). The entire album is well constructed and is a joy to experience. I have not heard music like this in a long time. If you enjoy 60s to 70s psych and folk rock, this brand new contemporary Spanish album is for you.

Filed under: New releases, 2020 releases

Related artist(s): Pigmy / Vicente Macià

 

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