Helado Negro Awe One

• Words: August Howard
• Label: Asthmatic Kitty
• XLR8R Rating: 7/10

Helado Negro is a loose confederation of musicians led by multi-instrumentalist Roberto Carlos Lange, whose name you may recognize as the latest addition to Guillermo Scott Herren's Savath & Savalas project. While Awe One certainly bares traces of Savath & Savalas' leftfield Latin-flavored beatmaking (Herren himself contributes on the record), Helado Negro is more focused, and also owes a significant stylistic debt to post-rock acts like Tortoise, particularly on jazzier songs like "Awe" and "Santero." Largely loop-based and bathed in soft reverb, this is vintage South American pop run through the filter of a modern-day bedroom producer. The decidedly relaxed vibe, sun-soaked melodies, and lyrics sung entirely en español make Awe One the perfect accompaniment for a lazy summertime siesta.