The Abolipop roster of artists has diversified over the last couple of years, now incorporating an intriguing mix of IDM, post-rock and electro-pop, best demonstrated in the consistently impressive free, download-only Between Green Speakers compilation from early this year. Label founder Israel Martinez has a finger in many of those pies, working under a variety of guises, including Israel M, Aeropuerto and his synth-pop outlet, Nebula3.
Another Way is the debut album from Nebula3, following an earlier EP and a few compilation appearances. The influences are quite clearly defined in the bio, listing “synth pop, new wave, indie rock and ambient pop.” The repeated ‘pop’ reference is significant, as this is clearly music where song and structure take precedence over sonic experimentation, the focus of some of his alter-egos. Under these terms, the album has much to admire. Martinez’s strength lies in establishing bittersweet beds of live bass, guitar, electronic percussion and synths over which he can lay wonderfully melodic lead instrumental or vocal lines. There is an intentionally limited palette of sounds which gives the album a consistency. There is a constant melancholy, reminiscent of Faith/Pornography-era Cure, though the sound is not overtly retro. Moody picked guitar figures are the sonic highlight, creating an ethereal tone throughout. Lyrically, he matches the mood with typically yearning pop motifs, though there is a subconscious hope in both the words and sounds that keeps the album from ever degenerating into the maudlin. At its finest moments, such as the instrumental ‘Lunama’ or the closing ‘Viewpoint’, there is an ecstatic kind of melancholy that begins to take on epic proportions in the judicious reverb washes.
If there is an Achilles’ heel to the album, it would be Martinez’s heavily accented English vocals. While I have a personal fondness for them, I have to admit this is because of a cultural background bias. Objectively, the sound of the enunciation can sometimes end up in Eurovision territory, undermining the obvious longing of the lyrics. I would much prefer to hear Martinez sing in his native Spanish. The numerous instrumental sections and entire tracks keep this from becoming a major issue, however, and the album’s elegiac overtones are able to hold their ground.
Adrian Elmer
