Mungo Park “In deep watercolor”
“In deep watercolours” introduces you to Mungo Park’s vision of traditional Scottish music. The album, filled with both traditional and original tunes is a reimagination of Scottish music in the modern setting, where various musical backgrounds are fully absorbed and realized in a collective sound. Mungo Park is the brainchild of arranger, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Raúl Peinado.
Mungo Park’s approach to traditional Scottish music is bold and refreshing. The band is certainly not afraid to break a few rules with energetic, punchy new lines. “In deep watercolours” is a fine mixture between Spanish filmic atmosphere, alternative rock landscape, and the natural charm of folkloric music.
“Fause, Fause” opens with a moody piano that instantly drags you into an emotive and atmospheric space. The traditional melodies flow in the gentle gaze of the wind. The authentic, unfiltered vocal takes you further away into somewhere pure and afar, where the stories in those old melodies touch your soul.
“The Monkey” is an arrangement of traditional songs “Abair Thusa Mi Tarraing,” “The Lassies’ Fashion,” and “B Quiet Real,” along with Raúl Peinado’s compositions, “The Monkey’s Strathspey” and “The Monkey's Reel.” Unlike a traditionally melody-centered dance piece, the track takes the creative liberty to build its foundation on layers of rhythmic riffs that intrigues you to explore more. Revolving around a punchy guitar line, a flowing piano underneath counters the groove with a darker, and more sophisticated twist.
Raúl Peinado takes on a passionate, creative approach with an electro chopped border pipe that gives the traditional tune “Abair Thusa Mi Tarraing” a refreshing outlook. Towards the end, “The Monkey” has another surprising twist in store. Mungo Park shakes things up entirely on “B Quiet Real,” where the band embraces the rhythmic and textural built-up from a completely different perspective.
