Buenos Diaz – Remember (2021)
Buenos Diaz are able to pack a lot into their EP Remember. With only 5 tracks, they address heroin addiction, travels, love and rainy days while wrapping you up in an addictive mixture of folk, blues and pop. Written in just two weeks after a trip to India, the EP captures Nick Diaz’s storytelling talents while highlighting the prowess of his musical collaborators.
The EP features Beto Martinez (guitar), Mike Saint Clair (bass), Brandon Taylor (bass), Greg Clifford (drums), Josh Halpern (drums), Sam Powell (keyboards) and Nick Diaz (vocals, guitar, percussion). Together, they recorded the basics of the tracks live while only mild amplifiers were used in the studio to round the EP off. The tracks are all a wonderful introduction to their sound and an amazing taster for the full-length blues album Diaz looks to release later this year.
The EP opens with the lead single ‘Beautiful’ which looks at heroin addictions and sobriety. The track pulls you in with a very dream-pop vibe that is soothed by the vocals. Diaz has a smooth voice that slides through the music to fill you with the story of the lyrics. The vibrating tones of the music add a haziness to the melody that is a wonderful sonic representation of addiction and a struggle with sobriety. There is a sadness in the song that comes through on the vocals that touch something deep in your chest.
‘I Want You’ has this guitar line in the opening that you can’t really get enough of. There is a light fuzziness to it as it effortlessly pulls you into this love song. There is a very Beatles tone to the music from the vocals and the movement of the melody. While this brings a sense of familiarity, there is also a wonderful uniqueness that shines through in the lower levels of the track. The song is really easy to listen to as it puts a smile on your face and fills your heart with warmth. You can just imagine this song playing while you sit in a meadow with someone you love.
The music takes a deeper and bluesy turn with ‘Remember’ which chronicles the time Diaz spent in India. There is a wonderful depth to the music that has you resting back into the rich soundscape. The beats resonate through your brain while his vocals bring the sights and smells of his travels to your ears. While you rest on the depth of the music, you are taken on a wonderful trip through the country through the amazingly descriptive lyrics.
‘Black Butterfly’ hits you with some heavy grooves that get your shoulders moving from the first note. This song really gives you a taste of what the musicians have to offer as they flourish their way through the soundscape. The drums are irresistible and the guitars are addictive. The spoken-word vocals add a wonderful blues-rock feeling to the music. Everything in the single comes together for perfection. This is probably my favourite track on the EP just because you can really hear how everyone is having a good time on it. Those guitar solos are also a thing of beauty which just makes the track even better.
The EP comes to a close with ‘Raindrops’ which is the perfect sonic representation of a rainy day. The guitar line rolls in like fog and mist drifting down the road as the rain patters against the window. Diaz’s vocals are like a contemplative stare out of the window as you watch the rain wash the world. It is such an easy song to listen to as you relax into it. Any stress resting on your shoulders will slide off like the rain has taken it from you.
Buenos Diaz keep you captivated with the five very different tracks in Remember. Each song brings its own shine to the EP while highlighting what each musician has to offer. Not only do the tracks showcase their musical prowess, but they also consider some heavy topics while helping you to de-stress.
Find out more about Buenos Diaz on their website, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
