Plastilina Mosh
Aquamosh
Capitol
Latin Rock will receive its biggest push into the mainstream modern rock scene as Capitol Records drops Mexico’s Plastilina Mosh debut album, Aquamosh, a production that features English, Spanish, French, and Japanese. Largely co-produced by the band in conjunction with Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf (Beck, Foo Fighters, Elliot Smith), this albums takes an eclectic modern approach in balancing Hip-Hop, Lounge, and Electronica, while borrowing elements from Acid Jazz, Hardcore, and Bossa Nova.
The showcase opens up showing “cojones” with a layered attack of samples and scratches in the well-shaped, angry Hip-Hop “Niño Bomba,” followed by the 70s-porno-funk-meets-Hip-Hop “Afroman.” Shopping at K-Mart would feel better if the smooth instrumental mix of Bossa Nova, Acid Jazz, and Lounge in “Ode to Mauricio Garces” would be played through the department store’s sound system. Highlights includes “Monster Truck,” a cutting-edge Industrial Hardcore á la White Zombie song that astutely experiments with excerpts of Country & Western (harmonica and steel guitar;) “Savage Sucker Boy,” a devastating stampede of hostile Electronica’s adrenaline destined to hurt ear membranes at any sound level; and “Banano’s Bar,” a destructive Electronic Hip-Hop that halfway through its duration takes a progressive jazz approach, with a magnificent piano solo, fat-sounding bass, and looped drums. The thrilling instrumental Electronica-meets-Metal of “Encendedor,” the pleasant Lounge of “Bugaloo Punta Cometa,” (produced by Mexico’s Polka-Punk icons Café Tacuba,) the ‘gangsta’ sound of “Mr. P. Mosh,” (produced by Jason Roberts of Cypress Hill), and other great tracks in this record makes of it an excellent musical experiment.
Even though it is the offspring of two Latinos, Plastilina Mosh’s Aquamosh should not be placed in the Latin section of a music retail store. Transcending cultural barriers, this album will tear down classification walls, and will open minds about what is being accomplished in the Latin Rock genre. Plastilina Mosh’s Aquamosh belongs in any Rock section, under P.
