Falcao and Monashee

Rodrigo Falcao (a Sao Pãulo percussionist) and Monashee Sun (a "BC psych-folk descendent") met in Vancouver in 2007 and a year later recorded these tracks at a Galiano Island cottage. Both musicians chant lulling melodies while holding down everything from organ and keyboard loops, bass, drums, percussion and guitar (Falcao) to harp, tenor banjo, violin, xylophone, keys and Moog delays (Monashee). For all the layers of sound though, the disc remains a pretty mellow ride. Shuffling drums pulse forward under the languid, winding melodies that lead many of these tunes to their close, but the groove remains relaxed and the mood ethereal. Repeat listens reward as well on tracks like "Teleportation" (featuring field-recorded birds by Falcao), "Special Agent" and "Strange Universe," as the innovative instrumentation reveals itself in the rattles and ebbs. Rooted in psych-folk but looking dreamily forward, the duo pull off an impressive debut, one that's expansive but not rambling.