Review: With Far In, Helado Negro Further Perfects His Seductive Brand of Electro-Pop

"Far In" highlights Helado Negro’s knack for constructing minimally psychedelic but seductively melodic soundscapes.

Helado Negro, Far In
Photo: Nathan Bajar

With his seventh studio album, Far In, Roberto Carlos Lange, a.k.a. Helado Negro, further refines the electro-pop that he explored on 2016’s Private Energy and 2019’s This Is How You Smile. The album, the title of which was inspired by a conversation Lange had with ambient artist Laraaji in an airport, mixes sleek production values with an au courant DIY vibe, a sense of melancholic bliss emanating throughout. On “Wake Up Tomorrow,” Lange’s voice shimmers amid flamenco-style guitar, crisp beats, and subtle ambient flourishes, while on the next track, “Gemini and Leo,” the South Florida native makes even sharper use of a Latin-inflected percussive palette. On the latter, he especially showcases his impressive vocal range, moving seamlessly from verse to chorus and flaunting his skills for breathwork and cadence. The languid rhythm of “There Must Be a Song Like You” is complemented by lush, dreamy imagery: “Warm, dreaming yellow sky/Endless open sigh/People move their life/Night eats the sky.” The song’s chorus—which consists of the title simply repeated four times—is both immediate and indelible. By contrast, “Thank You for Ever” is almost entirely ambient, absent of any percussive parts, while the closing track, “Mirror Talk,” fluidly integrates electronica and chamber pop. Exemplifying the album’s lo-fi aesthetic, these songs juxtapose staccato beats and watery synths, highlighting Lange’s knack for constructing minimally psychedelic but seductively melodic soundscapes.

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 Label: 4AD  Release Date: October 22, 2021  Buy: Amazon

John Amen

John Amen is the author of five collections of poetry, including Illusion of an Overwhelm (NYQ Books), a finalist for the 2018 Brockman-Campbell Award and the Dana Award. His music, literary, and film reviews appear in such publications as No Depression, The Line of Best Fit, Beats Per Minute, and Pop Matters. He founded and is managing editor of Pedestal Magazine.

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