Album, Single and EP Reviews


 

 

  Let's Groove Staying Alive by Rio En Medio


Let's Groove Staying Alive cover art

Artist: Rio En Medio
Title: Let's Groove Staying Alive
Catalogue Number: Seven Inch Project 005
Review Format: 45
Release Year: 2009



I like a bit of limited edition vinyl in the morning - it smells like victory to me! Things look good from the start as this is a well packaged single with a gatefold sleeve and pressed on a decently heavy bit of white vinyl.

The choice of songs is a bit unexpected too as you don't expect an arty folk musician from New Mexico to be doing covers of disco classics by Earth Wind and Fire or the Bee Gees. Needless to say, the resulting version sure ain't disco. "Let's Groove" is a stripped down version consisting of a series of simplistic loops and layered vocals. No longer a dance tune, it swirls hypnotically before you like some deranged hippie girl in a thrall. However, I can't dislike this as it has a curious charm in abundance. Whatever way you look or listen at this, it does works

"Staying Alive", on the other hand, isn't so much stripped down but stripped apart and reconstructed. Determinedly offbeat, delicate harmonies and folk guitars alternate with interludes of ambient electronica giving the effect of making the song trip, stumble and fall over itself. Every time it falls, it manages to pick itself back up again. Quite the oddest version I've heard but it does kind of grow on you.

Available by mail order from the Seven Inch Project website.


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Reviewer:
Review Date: August 29 2009