Res Inexplicata Volans - Apollo Nove
Even though it’s immensely likable, there’s a demo-ish quality to hotshot Brazilian producer Apollo Nove’s Res Inexplicata Volans. In 12 tracks that trickle through nostalgia-tipped tropicalia to a backward-reaching brand of electronica, he paints himself as something of a sound savant; trot out a hot beat or an expressive voice, he seems to be saying, and step aside–he’ll do the rest. It’s a cock-sure approach, but it mostly pays off. Though not radically new or groundbreaking, the sonic textures he dabbles in (vintage rock, bossa nova, disco, jazz) are nothing if not interesting, and they lend this disc a chilled-out moodiness that seems rightest in the pre-dawn hours. Singer Seu Jorge’s two tracks, the all-out gorgeous “Ensaboar Voce (Soap You)” and “Capoeira,” captivate most completely–if there’s a love letter to Sao Paulo somewhere on this record, he’s the one holding the pen–but overall the vibe is fluttery, uncemented. Put it on and plug in your headphones–as you get lost in late-night Apollo Nove land, you’ll want to wander and ponder alone. –Tammy La Gorce
