Surfadelica - Surfing On The Desertshore (2008)

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Surfadelica - Surfing On The Desertshore (2008)

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Psychedelic instrumental surf music. This is the Brazilian trio's debut CD was released in April 2008.
"Surfing On The Desertshore" is the name of the album released by the indie label Pisces Records. It contains 11 tracks produced and written by guitarrist Carlos Nishimiya. The record was recorded, mixed and mastered during the year 2007 at Quadrophenia Studio and engineered by Sandro Garcia.

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Surfadelica - Surfing On The Desertshore (2008)

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"Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple,
Awesomely simple, that's creative."

~ Charles Mingus

Since its inception in only a year’s time, this post-power trio has been drawing musical shapes beyond its limits. It is a solo creation of Carlos Nishimiya, a superb guitar player, and occasionally multi-instrumentalist that played a main role in many notable underground bands during the 80’s and 90’s. Notwithstanding being a cult figure in the music circle, never received the right plaudits from the mainstream press. In this case, let’s say, Underrated with capital U.

His playing and songwriting has a profound affinity with the folk-rock heritage (Richard Thompson, Jim McGuinn, Mike Heron), some flirting with the laureate heavyweights and its respective aces (Free, The Who, Led Zeppelin), an obscure charm extracted from a Progressive vein (Justin Hayward, Anthony Philipps, Peter Banks), a nod to a more contemporary visionaries (Nick Saloman, Kevin Shields) and an evident influence of the twin-guitar school of The Blossom Toes and, mainly, Wishbone Ash.

Having in mind such an eclectic and superbly well informed background, the least expectancy was an ordinary sound, and to challenge even himself he chose the conceit of surf-music for his new adventurous turning point. Therefore, adding two good musicians in the mix, Mauricio Guedesson (bass) and JC Goes Rock (drums), the master disappeared into a new musical continent for him.

Using, des-using and de-constructing the surf-music backdrop, they’ve reached a uniqueness that owes more to their Very own mysteries than any other flux of influences. And that’s their Beauty. An uncategorisable One! Mixing orthodox structures (i.e. within the surf tapestry) with popsters delicacies, fuzzy diatribes, psych imagery, and jangly-and-folkster (re) inventions, the debut works as an orgy of climaxes. Exploring also the terrain of sunshine-pop, and even (re)creating an orch-pop ambience, obviously without an orchestra, all album tracks were done with a prowess and dexterity hardly matched by contemporaries who, consciously, attempt to do so. In a solid attempt to widen the surf palette, Nishimiya, sophisticatedly, adds subtle elements of folk (on the fluttering guitar harmonies), progressive (around certain time signatures), and a general cinematic sci-fi tone brushes all over the canvas.

The highlights, oh well, the truth is there is no highlights. It would be very unfair to pick two or to three tracks to demonstrate their superlative oeuvre. Consequently, a track by track would give us a better overview. In alphabetical musical order, to be more precise.

Overall, Delica’s debut has a freewheeling quality; whimsical in its character, simple in its relaxed effects. A minor masterpiece!

~ Fernando Naporano

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Surfadelica - Surfing On The Desertshore (2008)

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Surfadelica - Surfing On The Desertshore (2008)

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