Das De Septiembre

'Dias de Septiembre are from Caracas in Venezuela. They comfortably fit into the mold of moody post-rock, recalling Mogwai, albeit with a dash of hardcore anger and a sprinkle of mainstream pop in some of their melodies. Their debut self-titled album is available to download for free from their website. Notably, their album comes with artwork for each song, with a number of great illustrations that hint at a band with one eye on the aesthetic as well as the music.' Sound and Colours (soundandcolor[dot]com) 'Dias de Septiembre is a five-piece post-rock/experimental band from Venezuela. The music is for the most part instrumental but there is singing used in various places throughout their self-tiled debut Dias de Septiembre. This looks to be a re-release version of Dias de Septiembre because it looks like it was originally released in 2011 and featured only 8 tracks. The version I have for review was released February 12, 2012 by Onion Music (sub division of Misanthropic Art Productions) and features 11 tracks with updated album artwork. Dias de Septiembre is a very solid album right from the opening track Goats. The album is so easy to listen too and it flows so well that it seems like it's over before you know it. The music itself is kept pretty basic but it seems to work very well for the band. Soft, post-rock style melodies drive the songs with a steady bass line providing pace. At times heavier chords bring a little edge to the music but overall this is a mellower album than I'm used to reviewing and listening too for that matter. So I guess my only knock against this album is that it lacks a little bit of fierceness to it. I am aware that this is an indie/post-rock release and I'm likely being way too picky but I would have liked to hear a little more of an edge to the heavier arrangements. This is for the most part an album made up of instrumental compositions but there are some vocals used throughout some of the songs. The vocals sound great and fit the music very well. They are soft, clean vocals that carry good melody and add some emotional atmosphere to the tracks. The lyrics are in Spanish as you might have expected from this Venezuelan band. The guitars come in a few different variations which all have the typical post-rock tone and sound to them. I really like the sound and feel of the acoustic guitars which are very warm and welcoming. The bass has a clear tone which really comes through the music well and the drums have a great hollow, natural sound to them - especially the snare and cymbals. Some of the highlights for me on the album include Lego, Espacio y forma, Feliz, Feliz (Extension en vivo) and Lego (Acoustic Version). Lego has a really good melody to it and I like the vocals that give the song some extra atmosphere. Espacio y forma also has great melody to it and it also has a little more variation then some of the other tracks. There is a cool lead with a dreamy tone to it and the drums shine through on this track. Feliz is a short, albeit catchy, acoustic piece which sticks in my head every time I listen to it. The vocals are quite nice and flow well along with the acoustic guitars. It is a very simple, yet honest track. There are no drums or bass. You might expect Feliz (Extension en vivo) to a simply re-working of Feliz but that is not so. It is it's very own song with a very unique feel. It is also very catchy but unlike Feliz features bass, electric guitar and drums. It has a simple yet effective melody to it that makes it enjoyable to listen to. Lego (Acoustic Version) has all the greatness of the original but in a nice, mellow acoustic package. Dias de Septiembre is a very solid album and one that is very easy to listen too. There are no tracks that need be skipped over. Each song has something to offer which helps the album flow well from start to finish. The melodies are soft but they do a good job of evoking interesting thoughts and feelings. For some reason I tend to picture past summers which bring out odd memories and feelings for me. It makes me sad