Nicolas Coppola - アルマジロ

Nicolas Coppola

​アルマジロ
self-released; 2016

3.8 out of 5

By Matt Jensen

Armadillo aka arumajiro aka アルマジロ is the fifth album from Nicolás Cóppola. I have enjoyed his musical works for some time now. HIs latest is arguably his best. It felt the most experimental and otherworldly to me. Cóppola expands on a vast palette of sounds that take the form modulated synths, arpeggiated pads, delays, hall reverb and much more. The pleasure is in the details and with that the music is great for active listening with headphones or to create atmosphere in a more social setting.

There are ten tracks on this album which is a perfect length in my opinion. Look it up. There are so many classic albums out there with ten to eleven tracks. The first song which I will refer to as “Pt.1”  felt like an intro. Piano notes and a heavy beat take the center stage while atmospheric pads twinkle. This is used to transition in “Pt.2” which is faster and gets you moving into interstellar space. The song takes you on a journey where the nuances are what makes the song interesting whether it’s a snippet of a vocal sample or strategically placed filter.

“Pt. 3” was an ominous, almost contemplative, sounding track where an arpeggiated synth trickles up and down the frequency spectrum while “Pt.4” is bright and club worthy. The next two tracks “Pt.5” and “Pt.6” are nothing to scoff at either. “Pt.6” is an eight plus minutes long and is a journey all itself. 

At this point in the album I was impressed by how each song felt connected yet had a distinct feel. Not the easiest feat in the world. “Pt. 7” was a personal favorite but I’m sure others might not feel the appreciation I have. The song is covered with white noise that mutates into an impending sense of doom. It sounds as if you are standing in the middle of a storm in Jupiter.

“Pt. 8” has hints of the artist Burial. Sounds mimic an insect invasion while a heavy disjointed beat takes over your limbs. It gives way to “Pt. 9” which is a  4/4 thumper. The closer “Pt. 10” is ethereal as it moves to another galaxy where the beings have entered a state of enlightenment. 

​What I really enjoyed about this album is that it feels like a album that is intended to be listened to from beginning to end. No singles and no hooks. These ten chapters are called chapters for a reason.

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