Coconot Cosa Astral

Following the success of Alegranza, El Guincho's Pablo Dí­az-Reixa has set aside the solo routine to join up with old crew Coconot, the Spaniard's three-piece rock act. And in many ways they're just the type of group you'd expect from the Tropicália-loving songwriter, with Coconot's sophomore effort, Cosa Astral, embracing Dí­az-Reixa's now-familiar love for festive, sun-baked exotica, albeit from a more organic, less sample-based perspective. However, Coconot do hold a few surprises, and in fact come across best when they're sounding the least like El Guincho. This is especially true in the album's stronger second half, when the group's pop tribalism often collides with what's best described as full-on Latin krautrock, such as on "Tao" and "Miles de Ojos." At these moments, it's hard not to be taken in by swirling bits of sonic hypnosis and even harder to believe that Os Mutantes and Can have so seldom met on the same track. Cosa Astral may lack the consistency of Alegranza to make as big of a splash but it does prove Dí­az-Reixa is hardly a one-trick pony. (BCore)

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