Timing
is everything. When you’re in no hurry, with no expectations or outside
pressure, the process of creation seems natural. This was the case in the
making of global fusion outfit Pacifika’s third album, Amor Planeta. The
Vancouver-based trio of vocalist Silvana Kane, guitarist Adam Popowitz and
bassist Toby Peter has never sounded more at home with the world.
“This
record is much like the title of the album, which means Love Planet,” says
Kane, a native Peruvian. “It’s love in its various forms: love of nature, love
of another, love that is lost, love that is eternal—basically all that makes us
what we are as humans.”
Entering
the studio with a new frame of mind following the success of 2008’s Asuncion
and 2010’s Supermagique, as well as Kane’s 2012 solo album, La Jardinera,
Pacifika tried out a new process of songwriting and recording. “In the past the
three of us would sit together and jam ideas,” says Peter. “This time Adam and
I built a track, then Silvana would come in and vibe off of it.”
The
addition of trumpet player Malcolm Aiken as well as a more organic approach to
recording—less electronica, more live performance—kept things fresh for the
band. Whereas before the songs would often be built around Kane’s poetic
lyricism, Amor Planeta offers lush textures and guitar-driven ambient
soundscapes, not to mention a harder edge keeping a nice balance between both.
Pacifika
burst onto the global music scene in 2008 with their critically acclaimed debut
album Asuncion that was praised by The Wall Street Journal, Village Voice,
KCRW, and NPR amongst others, and led to high profile shows alongside Feist and
Sharon Jones at The Hollywood Bowl.
Supermagique was the iTunes editor’s pick for “Best World Music Album of
the Year” in 2010 and a Juno nominee for “Best World Music Album,” which
catapulted the band from Latin Alternative darlings to a broader audience
worldwide. Amor Planeta continues to see
the band evolve, in a natural organic way.
Perhaps
the key to understanding Pacifika’s music is as simple as three friends living
out their dreams on one stage. In a society that seems to be getting speedier
by the day, the relaxed environment created by this trio’s songs offers a
robust antidote to the hectic nature of daily life. Charming and charmed, we’d
all be better suited on a planet as full of love as this one.
No comments:
Post a Comment