Rock n’ roll music knows no borders, and this is certainly evident in the multilingual offering Alouv from Vuola. Whether you’re keen on progressive content or not, Alouv spellbinds with its layered expression, comprised only partially by lyrics and more formidably by the sonic presence of the instrumentation it sports. Vuola is an underground project from a singular artist, but for what it has to offer serious alternative fans and those who simply love complicated rock composing, it’s an effort worthy of the mainstream spotlight for sure. Top to bottom, you’re just not likely to hear another record like this one right now.
BANDCAMP: https://vuola.bandcamp.com/track/laugh-vivid-often-adore-unity
Harmonies tend to be a priority in this album, with some of the most poignant examples of this coming in “Astra Lucia Omnia Ultra Verum,” “Omana Omala Ogana Odati Ojoda,” and “Laugh Vivid Often Adore Unity,” all three of which could have carried this tracklist on its own. Vuola for the most part is passive when it comes to the climaxes of these songs, preferring instead to put a lot of stock in tension over the release. This doesn’t result in an anti-cathartic finish though; if anything, it’s a juggernaut of uncertainty that drifts much in the same direction life does.
Discriminating alternative rock fans can’t go wrong when picking up a copy of this debut album from Vuola, and with a little bit of attention from the college radio crowd, I can see Alouv racking up a lot of respect as the summer comes into focus. There hasn’t been a watershed moment in this genre for a while now, but with the kind of imposing artistry that a player like this one is presenting his sound with, it’s difficult to see critics and listeners the same not embracing what’s being said here and, more importantly, what’s to come in the future.
Trace Whittaker
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