Domenico Lancellotti
The Good Is a Big God
LUAKA BOP
7/10
For many, the prospect of listening to a jazzy bossa nova or samba record conjures images of smiling, good-looking Brazilians randomly strumming acoustic guitars on a beach; a nice enough experience, but for the most part a pretty lightweight affair. Of course, the genres are much more complex, and there’s no denying the mastery of anything from Antônio Carlos Jobim, or “The Girl From Ipanema”—but unless it’s a new Metallica cover version, we probably don’t need to ever hear that specific song again.
The Good Is a Big God, the second full-length from Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Domenico Lancellotti, is anchored by the typical sounds and rhythms that scream “girl on a beach,” but also includes many musical flourishes that will keep the modern American listener engaged and entertained.
The record gets off to a wonderfully esoteric start, the opener, “Voltar-se,” lulling with echoey vocals over simple keyboard lines before ramping up the angst, when a barrage of industrial drums and distortion comes in to finish things off. Early on, the vibe of this album is a mix of dream pop and world music, which proves an intoxicating combination.
But as it goes on, The Good Is a Big God continues to mix genres, and we’re often in uncharted territory geographically and musically—certainly an exciting place to be.
