Stream: Meridian Brothers – Vertigo

Eblis Alvarez waltzes back into sight with his Meridian Brothers mask on, this time bearing unusual fruits with a strange flavour. Perhaps not that strange for Alvarez though.

"The album was written as an ambient record but at the same time searching for an image of a impossible virtuoso organist". The result is a range of eerie synth tones which flutter and oscillate largely like a haunted carousel, dancing out traditional Columbian melodies under which an acoustic rhythm section jangles and shuffles (reinforced at points by electronic drum machines and samplers).

Inspired by Columbian local legend Jaime Llano Gonzalez, famed for ambient takes on traditional Columbian music (Bambucos, Cumbias, etc) with a Hammond Organ, 'Los Suicidas' has a similarly hypnotic, lilting quality but with sharper edges to the synth tones. Alvarez was inspired to build a whole synthesizer ensemble in trying to chase the influence of Gonzalez and it ends up sounding a bit like library music with a Columbian heart. A weird collision, but with a mention of the Meridian Brothers it makes sense.

Soundway Records are due to release Los Suicidas on 30th October and you can pre-order it from the Soundway online store now.