Records of the Week

OFFICIAL SITE OF ESMERINE | MEMORIAL TO LHASA DE SELA

Written and released as an homage and tribute to the wonderful, and tragically late, singer-songwriter Lhasa de Sela, La Lechuza finds Esmerine employing an ever more refined version of their eclectic acoustic instrumentation, weaving a tale ranging from somber to playful. Opener “A Dog River” sets this nuanced mood with arpeggiated marimba lifted through tastefully minor string arrangements – this element, paired with a keen sense of dynamics and pace, is a hallmark of Esmerine’s best works. While not strictly an instrumental album, as vocals are implemented in tracks such as “Last Waltz” and “Snow Day For Lhasa,” the latter of which features the dulcet tones of Patrick Watson, La Lechuza functions nearly as one, through its attention to composition. And the instrumental tracks, such as “Trampolin” and album highlight “Sprouts”, display such a wildly active voice of their own, that the presence of vocals, or lack thereof, makes no difference in the album’s story. La Lechuza terminates, fittingly, on a recording of Lhasa’s “Fish On Land” with Esmerine behind it; on their third album, Esmerine remind us to be playful when we can, and to remember when we cannot.