Bonus jazz-funk for your Monday…
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[6.50]
Iain Mew: The first time “Proporcional” emerged from the gentle soak of its intro via such an awesome horn riff, I was all “WHERE DO I APPLY TO JOIN THIS FUNK ADVENTURE.” As it turns out, that’s no more indicative of its direction than anything else — it’s a complicated song, and an impressive one, but I remain slightly disappointed it never unleashes the power promised.
[6]
Jonathan Bogart: Rubbery guitars against a solid jazz-funk backdrop are always going to be one of my favorite sounds; Ruiz taking the mature Talking Heads sound back to the tropics and singing with more rhythm than Byrne ever did feels like what’s missing from all the ’80s revivalism currently ongoing.
[8]
Thomas Inskeep: Sexy ’80s throwback funk, with just a dash of jazz-fusion influence, that gets my hips moving.
[6]
Megan Harrington: Ruiz keenly evokes polyester, shag pile, avocado and pumpkin, wood paneling, and station wagons. The ’70s were in many ways a cheap decade, but “Proporcional” recalls that era’s expensive sonics. Everything here is rich and organic — most throwbacks are shallow and hollow, a trap laid well enough to trip into nostalgia but nothing deeper. Ruiz doesn’t stop at evoking, she immerses herself in a forgotten world.
[7]
Jonathan Bradley: It’s a rather polite disco song. Proporcional? Sure, but better to cut loose at times like these.
[4]
Brad Shoup: You’d hope a jazz-funk song about proper ratios wouldn’t be so bloated, or maybe that’d it be bloated into Maynardian scale. Ruiz and the brass have a nice paired voicing at the beginning, but after that she’s mostly left to theorize while the band stomps in its chorus.
[5]
Rebecca A. Gowns: Wonderful blend of Brazilian jazz, funk, and pop. Ruiz’s voice dances along on a soft, sing-song conversational level; it sometimes gets buried in the mix beneath the guitars and horns, but as the song moves along, it’s clear that she’s going to tunnel along and pop up clearly in a measure or two. The tune is sunny, bright — and constantly shifting in size, in a clever interplay with the lyrics.
[9]
Alfred Soto: What lovely crosstalk between guitar and horns! This Brazilian singer is up to it too. A fully realized performance.
[7]