Luis Mojica - Anaesthesia

Luis Mojica

Anaesthesia
self-released; 2013

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Luis Mojica is a musician hailing from Woodstock, NY who recently released an album entitled Anaesthesia. The record is an impressive effort that Mojica recorded and performed himself. It revolves around his piano and vocals with various instruments peaking in to create variation throughout. 

The songs are more often than not emotionally heavy and drenched in melancholy and often reminded me of Antony and the Johnsons. In fact, there is a lot that is happening on this record that bears resemblance to Antony and the Johnsons. From the themes of Androgyny, to the vocal nuances and stylistic structure of the songs Mojica unequivocally tips his hat to Antony. While there are obvious similarities it shouldn't dissuade you from listening to this record. It offers a lot to the listener and a couple of the songs on the album were standouts that you won't want to miss.

The album starts with a solid song called “Two Blue Angels” that revolves around a piano, various percussive elements and Mojica's vocals. It’s an effective melancholic song that is sparse but fleshed out and full. There were a couple of really cool things going on with this song. First off I loved the way he implemented the percussive elements in the songs. He starts off simple with bongos and slowly adds elements that create another coat of emotional resonance within the song. Another impressive part was the timing. He slows things up then speeds it back up creating an attractive composition from both a technical and creative standpoint. 

Another highlight was the fourth track entitled “Torture.” He mixes it up with an upbeat style that combines a piano riff and an infectious vocal melody that you might expect to hear in a saloon in the old west. Even more interesting is the disparate mid-section which gives a totally different feel to the song. In fact, the only way he can segue into the original riff is by stopping.  There are a couple of other songs that stood out to me including “Polaroids,” which skillfully implemented vocal harmonies as well as “Woman Untold,” which was an ambitious song that contained orchestration as well as inventive percussive breakdown.

Mojica may take a little getting used to if you haven't heard similar music but it is well worth the investment.

official website

soundcloud