Winter & Triptides – Estrela Magica

We’ve been awaiting Winter & Triptides’ ‘Estrela Magica’ for the last couple of months. Single, “Amiga” piqued our interest back in July.

The opening track “Tempo” is understated, the opening guitar chords instantly familiar. Think The Velvet Underground’s “Femme Fatale” and your somewhere in the same ball park.

Winter’s vocals float on top of the music -delayed to replicate the sound of 60s tropicalia bands like Os Mutantes.

Second track “Amiga” is the stand out track, picking up the pace with it’s relentless catchiness throughout. It really is a gem. “Desaparecidos” drops the tempo again. There is a lot of breathing space here, the song reaching a gentle climax over it’s plus four minutes. “Doce Violeta” drifts along a phased guitar line before lifting off towards the end, showcasing Triptides’ guitar chops.

 “Raio de Sol” is a short interlude that suggests an idea the songwriters liked but felt they could take no further. “Ele Dorme” is a simple, short, pop song with very busy drums that sets up another drop in tempo, “Te Levar”, which is quite beautiful and another highlight of the record, as is following track “Ontem” in which both Winter and Triptides provide vocals, swapping between languages. It’s all 60s garage psych with beautiful phasing guitars and lyrics lamenting a lost love, “yesterday seems so far away”.

Closer “I Just Wanna Be With You”, again sung in English, is another pretty slice of dream pop, recalling Galaxie 500 minus the vocals of Dean Wareham. All in all, Estrela Magica is not quite as was expected following the catchiness of “Amiga” but this is still a very good and understated record.

You may like this if you are a fan of: Camera Obscura, The Concretes, Os Mutantes, Mazzy Star.