Tag Archives: mantras

Month In Review – October 2011

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October’s highlights included the release of Pablo Farago’s “Mantras” (a compilation of some of his finest work, as recorded over the past ten years), a post on electronic music pioneer Daphne Oram, and an article about the day Manhattan thought Radiohead would play a free concert. If anything, that post is worth a good look because it showcases how quickly a mere rumor can spread online nowadays, until everybody is repeating something that is plain wrong as if it were the gospel truth.

And as far as websites for music lovers were concerned, the startups I reviewed on October included ListnPlay, LyricStatus and MyDjSpace. And the one iPad app that I got to feature was WildChords, a game from these great folks at Ovelin that lets you learn to play the guitar. And by “great folks”, I mean it – just look at the interview they gave me! Thanks, guys!

And fans of Joy Division should check what happens when our favorite Mancunians meet some playmobil…

On November, I’m certain to review Vincent Vega’s self-debut album. I know them personally, I’ve been to a good couple of their shows, and I’ve pogoed with delirious abandon right at the front, along with the horde of misfits that follows them through light and shade.

Well, not really. They are an acoustic duo, and their live shows could perfectly be the recipient of a Nobel peace prize.

Vincent Vega

But I’ve been there, and I’ve greatly enjoyed their music throughout. I’ll be delighted to feature them on MusicKO this month. Check the blog later next week to read about them!

Pablo Faragó Releases “Mantras”, His First Album

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"Mantras" By Pablo Faragó

“Mantras” is the first album released by Pablo Faragó. It brings together some of the best compositions created by the celebrated former guitarist for Niquel during the last ten years. During that time, Pablo embarked on a solo career characterized by electric guitar improvisations with the use of loop samplers.

As Pablo himself explains in the liner notes that come with the CD, “these compositions are name “mantras” because of their cyclic and meditative nature”.

Pablo Faragó

On the album, Pablo is joined by percussionist Fernando “Cacho” Rodríguez in the two cuts that run the longest. The album is made up of 12 selections, and it certainly succeeds in taking the listener through very different sound landscapes.

I invite you to read the interview I conducted with Pablo just last year, and to visit his MySpace profile. You will find lots of pieces representative of this original project right there.

Pablo Faragó Publica “Mantras”, Su Primer CD

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"Mantras" de Pablo Faragó

De inminente aparición en el mercado, “Mantras” de Pablo Faragó recoge algunas de las mejores composiciones creadas por el célebre ex-guitarrista de Níquel en los últimos diez años. En este tiempo, Pablo se ha embarcado en un proyecto solista caracterizado por la improvisación con guitarra eléctrica a través de generadores de ciclos de sonido (“loop samplers”).

Como explica Pablo en las notas que acompañan al disco, “estas composiciones reciben el nombre de “mantras” por su característica cíclica y meditativa”.

En el disco es asimismo acompañado por el percusionista Fernando “Cacho” Rodríguez en dos de las composiciones de mayor extensión.

Pablo Faragó

“Mantras” de Pablo Faragó será comercializado en todos los locales de Palacio De La Música. El disco cuenta con 12 temas, donde se generan paisajes sonoros realmente diversos.

Los invito a leer la entrevista efectuada en este mismo blog a Pablo hace algunos meses, y a visitar su perfil de MySpace. Allí encontrarán muchas piezas representativas de este original proyecto.

Pablo Faragó puede ser contactado en la siguiente dirección: pablo.farago@gmail.com.

Pablo Faragó (Interview)

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Pablo Faragó

Pablo Faragó

Born in Argentina, Pablo Faragó was to move to Uruguay in his late teens and form Níquel along with Jorge Nasser. The band made history in the country with its ability to mix styles and always retain a true River Plate sensibility, setting the scene for a younger generation of performers that sounded intrinsically autochthonous.

Níquel split as the 90s came to an end, but Pablo Faragó has continued making music to this day. I had the chance to talk with him about Mantras, his ongoing musical project – a project that is becoming 10 years old in 2011. What better time to ask him about his musical past, present and future?

We all remember you as one of the founding members of Níquel, a legendary band within Uruguayan music because it blazed a trail for a whole generation of younger performers to follow. Although you don’t make rock music any longer, you are still actively involved in the creation of music with your current project, Mantras. What can you tell us about it?

Mantras is a musical adventure that consists of electric guitar improvisations, using loop samplers that make for creating sonorous and rhythmical textures of different form and shape. The repertoire is always generated live, the music is created as I am playing. My music is nurtured by different trends and schools like minimalism, Afro-American rhythms and modern arts.

Which musicians are part of this project?

Mantras is basically a one-man show, but as the years went by I had the pleasure to be joined onstage by percussionist Fernando “Cacho” Rodríguez (who has played with Congo Bongo, Abuela Coca, Jorge Drexler and NTVG) and bassist José Ignacio Landoni.

Pablo Faragó, Cacho Rodríguez & Jose Ignacio Landoni.

Pablo Faragó, Cacho Rodríguez & Jose Ignacio Landoni.

What is the equipment that you use to create your Mantras?

Essentially, an electric guitar (which has changed over time – I currently use an Epiphone 335 Dot) and a lap steel. Their sound is processed using a pedal, and I have two machines for generating loops: a Boss RC-20 Loopstation, and a Line 6 DL6. A small console is used for mixing everything and sending the sound (in mono) to my amp, which is either a Valvular Peavey Deuce or a Crate 80 Solid. Continue reading →

Pablo Faragó (Entrevista)

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Pablo Faragó (el recordadísimo guitarrista de Níquel) ha continuado su aventura musical desde que la mítica banda se disolviera. Su proyecto actual (Mantras) pronto cumplirá 10 años de existencia.  ¿Qué mejor momento para conversar con Pablo sobre su música presente, pasada y futura?

Pablo Faragö

Pablo Faragö

Todos te recordamos siempre como uno de los miembros fundadores de Níquel, banda legendaria dentro del rock uruguayo pues abrió una senda que le permitiría llegar lejos a generaciones de músicos más jóvenes. Si bien ya no te dedicas a hacer rock, sigues estando muy involucrado en la creación de música con tu proyecto Mantras. ¿Podrías contarle a la gente en que consiste?

Mantras es una aventura musical cuya característica fundamental es la improvisación con guitarra eléctrica a través de generadores de ciclos de sonido (loop samplers), con los cuales se crean texturas sonoras y rítmicas de variadas formas e intensidades, el repertorio es siempre generado en el momento, la música se va creando a la vez que voy tocando. Mi música se nutre de diversas corrientes musicales y estéticas como el minimalismo, los ritmos afro-americanos y el arte moderno.

¿Qué músicos te acompañan en esta propuesta?

Mantras es básicamente una performance unipersonal pero con el correr de los años he tenido el gusto de ser acompañado por el percusionista Fernando “Cacho” Rodriguez (Congo Bongo, Abuela Coca, Jorge Drexler, NTVG) y el bajista José Ignacio Landoni.

Pablo Faragó, Cacho Rodríguez & Jose Ignacio Landoni.

Pablo Faragó, Cacho Rodríguez & Jose Ignacio Landoni.

Exactamente, ¿qué equipo empleas para crear tus mantras?

Básicamente guitarra eléctrica, que ha variado con los años, actualmente tengo una Epiphone 335 Dot y una lapsteel. Ambas van a una pedalera para procesar el sonido y dos máquinas para generar los “loops” una Boss RC-20 LoopStation y una DL6 de Line6. Todo termina en una pequeña consola donde mezclo y envío un sonido mono a mis amplificadores, que pueden ser un Peavey Deuce (valvular) o un Crate 80 (sólido). Continue reading →