Gabriel Garzón-Montano - Jardin

Gabriel Garzón-Montano
Jardin
2017
Spotify

People first started really talking about Gabriel Garzón-Montano when his voice was used on the Drake song "Jungle". Being brought in to Drake's world in anyway usually means people want you involved with things and the pitches come from all angles. Luckily Montano has been able to more or less avoid these traps and has released one of the most complex pop records in a long time. His style vacillates from dark-pop to trippy R&B hitting all the spaces in between. What really stands out about this record is just how hard it is to describe, it doesn't seem to follow any of the rules and thus becomes something that is never just one thing. "Sour Mango" for example on the surface is a trippy electronic song, but just underneath is this really beautiful piano line that comes in and out of existence just when it is needed most. The electronic part gives the song a darkness and depth but the R&B lightens everything and takes what could be a dour experience and makes it a fun one. Jardin from moment one is fully sure of itself and what it is, even if you can't quite place it. The album almost exists in it's own world unconcerned or unconnected with anything outside. Jardin pulls you in rather than you coming to the album something that is so rare and so great to listen to.

Funk also plays an essential role especially early 70s style funk. "Fruitflies" is drenched in this funk but where a normal song would rest on that idea Montano pushes the envelope and wraps that funkiness in this massive synth build. The song is three or four different things all at once, it really is incredible. The structure of the album is really loose giving it a very improvised feel, yet it still works so very well. It never crosses into jam band territory just a great sound through and through. Montano takes his music seriously but there is always a sense of easiness that he curates so incredibly well. This is Sunday morning music, breakfast with someone you went to bed with the night before and can't wait to groove through the day with. Jardin really is quite the accomplishment and shows just how talented Gabriel Garzón-Montano really is. This is a name we are going to be hearing for some time, mark my words.

8.5 out of 10