BLURRED IMAGES

Bridge Between Waters

Jose Banuelos (Aerosol Records) (2003)

no album cover art available at this time

review by Bill Binkelman

Jose Banuelos, the man behind the curtain that is Blurred Images, describes his music as "instrumental shoegazer/spacerock music" and there are certainly components of both those genres on this well-crafted and fun-to-listen to EP (about twenty-four minutes in length). Specifically, as Blurred Images, he also terms his music as "ambient/electro," further writing that "The basic idea is to express feelings and emotions without any barriers or boundaries, without the need to say something or compose within a certain genre."

What I was struck with as I listened (more than a few times) to the seven songs on the EP were how well put together it all is, as Banuelos combines retro analog-like synth sounds (much like another new artist, Eien, does on Partly Cloudy Skies, which will be reviewed next issue) with trace elements of glitch, the aforementioned instrumental shoegazer and a touch of spacerock courtesy of his use of occasional guitars and an acoustic trap drum set (the drums are a recording highlight - they add a whole other dimension to the usual "ambient" music formula). Throwing all these disparate textures into a mixmaster and turning it on "blend" could have yielded some disastrous results, but Banuelos knows how to make it all flow, smooth and easy, yet also spiced up with healthy doses of fun and whimsy, along with some touches of whistfulness.

With less than thirty minutes of music spread out over seven tracks, the only criticism I can make is that some musical ideas just get cooking and then - poof! - they're over. While that's a tad frustrating when one hears a particular nice groove, such as on the peppy "Day at the park" with its cool retro synths and pumping modern day beats, I'd rather hear a short great song than a long mediocre one.

From the jangly guitars and midtempo drums set against swirling synths of the opening track, "In between" (reminding me a bit of a cross between The Sundays and The Cranberries) to the EP's closer, "Outro (As it lasts)" which fuses acoustic piano with spacy keyboards (I love the "ponging" sounds) and drums, Banuelos fashions music that, well, the word that keeps coming to my mind is "fun." There is a noticeable lack of the heaviness that some ambient and EM can have. The bell tones that begin "Distant mind" have a carnival-like feel to them, as they twinkle against the lively drum rhythm - kind of like riding a merry-go-round on Mars! Granted there are some somber moments, such as the warbling keyboards on "Blending lives (One lie)." But, Banuelos keeps the mood from descending into morbidity or despair by interjecting midtempo rhythms.

I love that some artists are rediscovering the retro sounds that made a lot of synthesizer music in the 1960s so enjoyable to listen to, an element which is in abundance on Bridge Between Waters. Blurred Images (Jose Banuelos) is an artist that I'm excited to hear more from. The technical aspects of this EP are solid, especially given the diverse task at hand. The song titles display Banuelos' flair for creativity and the music on the CD is fresh and entertaining. I expect great things from this man, and I'd pick up on this EP now if you want to have a good time.