Sentimiento Mundial＜限定盤＞

Originally a duo consisting of Estrella del Sol Sanchez and Amor Amezcua, Mexico City-based dream pop group Mint Field made their full-length debut with 2018s Pasar de las Luces, a remarkable record that artfully expressed the tumultuous emotions of ones young adult years. After making the album, Mint Field toured throughout North America and Europe, released an EP (Mientras Esperas), and shifted their lineup, losing Amezcua and gaining bassist Sebastian Neyra and drummer Callum Brown (Ulrika Spacek). Second album Sentimiento Mundial was recorded in London with producer Syd Kemp (also of Ulrika Spacek), and it finds the band stretching their sound in a few different directions, dialing down the shoegaze elements a bit and trying out new textures and ideas. From the wayward drift-folk of opener Cuida Tus Pasos and the ragged guitar crunch of Natural, the album immediately seems rougher and rawer, perhaps transferring a bit more of their live energy to the studio. Delicadeza is a gentle, surf-tinged swirl, and Contingencia picks up on the Motorik thread of the first albums Neu! homage Quiero Otono de Nuevo, but spiked with a greater sense of punk urgency. A few songs like Aterrizar and Sentimiento Mundial seem to meander at first, but theyll gradually reveal a sly hook, or a scorching guitar lead will forcefully take charge. The greater sense of contrast makes the album feel a bit more uneven than its predecessor, but it lands on some inspired moments, such as the gorgeous Nadie Te Esta Persiguiendo, and the groups commitment to exploring new territory keeps their music fresh and vivid. ~ Paul Simpson