Meridian Brothers
Mi Latinoamerica Sufre (black)
Bogotá-based Colombian composer Eblis Alvarez, known as Meridian Brothers, has been concocting a unique blend of psychedelic sounds since 1998. With this album Alvarez explores the untapped potential of the electric guitar in a tropical Latin context. Drawing inspiration from African highlife and soukous traditions, Alvarez crafts a fearless sonic experiment infused with invention, playfulness, and emotion. Unlike typical tropical guitar records, this album eschews distortion and clichés, opting for a pure, clean approach. Through intricate compositions blending cumbia, champeta, soukous, Brazilian tropicalia, and underground psychedelic rock, Alvarez pays homage to the golden era of Congolese rumba, Ghanaian highlife, and Nigerian Afrobeat. 'Mi Latinoamérica Sufre' delves into the ego trip, presenting a humorous yet introspective journey of self-discovery and identity. The central character, Junior Maximiliano the Third, navigates through the complexities of self-discovery using psychedelic substances, political philosophy, and folklore. As he grapples with nostalgia, paranoia, and shared suffering, Alvarez showcases his vocal prowess, creating a sonic theater of the mind. Accompanied by visual narratives from Colombian artist Mateo Rivano, the album portrays various psychological states of disorientation, self-pity, enlightenment, and optimism. 'Mi Latinoamérica Sufre' emerges as a worthy and innovative addition to the concept album tradition, offering a distinctive blend of bitter-sweet flavors inspired by Latinoamérica.