Gregorio Paniagua-Batiscafo

While there have been several proposals, including Japanese offers, to reissue this 1980 ahead-of-its-time recording, none have been accepted by its creator Gregoria Paniagua until this year of years. This baroque hoedown has been remastered and restored to its full glory by the always interesting Madrid-based independent Munster Records. The instrumental record immediately casts a folkloric atmosphere while further listens will reveal visionary approaches along with a playful sense of both voyage and discovery. On the whole, it sees around corners and flows along with a continuity like Van Dyke Parks’ Song Cycle, the 2011 reclamation of the Beach Boys’ Smile, Eiichi Ohtaki's A Long Vacation, or Khyber Mail by Sohail Rana. 

Kraut Folk & Celtic Disco

The term Kraut folk has been thrown around this record and the opening song “Dragon,” surging forward with a Motorik rhythm, comes into direct alignment with the neologism.  After an interlude of breakwater and seagulls, “Plancton'' washes ashore under a festive and fanciful atmosphere with its expansive employment of violas. The song is also adorned with everything and the kitchen sink including the actual musical use of a zucchini scraper! Cutting through the kitchen counter clutter, “Kyrie Nicolai” is playful, effervescent, and evokes prancing through a medieval village. The lavishly melodic “Ciao” features perfectly placed beats and unexpected accompaniments like an Egyptian sistrum which reinforce and enhance the composition.



“Spaghetti Alla Milanese'' with its insistent beat merges the record back on the imaginary musical Autobahn only to be sidetracked to regions ruled by the bombo. “Preludio Balsamico Y Chacona'' sounds closer to Brazilian Tropicália in that it's an aural equivalent of a Henri Rousseau painting than the unclassifiable Iberian sounds which predominate the record. The title track “Batiscafo” is dazzling Celtic disco reminiscence of the High Llamas. It would come as no surprise if Sean O'Hagan of the High Llamas has an original issue of "Batiscafo" in his extensive record collection.

 
Ambitious & Adventurous

With melodies so instantly captivating, it’s difficult to grasp how the individual instruments and found sound sources fit together so seamlessly to create the overall multidimensional sonic atmosphere. Each listen will reveal there is much beyond its curvilinear edges as striking details and intricacies emerge. At times, it even seems like the strong melodies are built on sands as they begin to shape shift like the amorphous clouds depending on the context, conditions and situations. “Batiscafo” is a welcomed and sweeping work of art and contrast to this vicious 2020 world. On another level, this vibrant record is an expression of Paniagua’s innate musicality and ability to intertwine disparate elements together into a comprehensive and unified whole. Connecting and expressing both subtle undercurrents and panoramic perspectives is always a challenging, but a worthwhile pursuit regardless of year.