Velox Veritas
Arts & Crafts, 2020
8/10
Now a decade as a band, Rey Pila, which is Diego Solórzano, Andrés Velasco, Rodrigo Blanco and Miguel Hernández, keep refining their dark, synth-pop ways with a worldly view, where their Mexico City roots are embraced while adding in influences collected from their vast travels.
“Let It Burn” starts the listen with dark synth-rock as pop influenced ideas enter the playful, soaring atmosphere that could fill stadiums, and the aptly titled “Dark Paradise” follows with some New Wave nods meets post-punk, that almost seems like Ric Ocasek on a steady diet of New Order.
The remainder of the album doesn’t stray too far from this formula, and includes the warbly electronica of the dance friendly “Drooling”, while “Steps (Pt. 2)” trims the volume back with a dreamy quality. “Josephine”, the album standout, then bounces with a buzzing approach of fuzzed out alt-rock that’s on par with the best of genre from the ‘90s.
Closer to the end, “Danger” is indebted to the ‘80s with its firm beat, frisky synth prowess and vocal acrobatics, and "Steps (Pt. 1)” finishes out the listen in ambient territory with precise, adventurous instrumentation.
A bigger affair than their previous work, Rey Pila’s mashing of rock, trap, electro, and dancehall will appeal to fans of legends like The Cure or The Cars, as well as more recent bands like Muse or The Strokes, and certainly holds its own against all those artists.
Travels well with: Albert Hammond Jr.- Momentary Masters; Sotomayor- Origenes