Federico Aubele – Amatoria (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“Music that emits passion, romance and sexiness.  Federico Aubele’s third album ‘Amatoria’ is absolutely delightful!”

ARTIST: Federico Aubele

ALBUM: Amatoria (Digital Version)

LABEL: ESL Music

DURATION: 40:34

RELEASE DATE: June 15, 2009

1. Luna y Sol
2. Suena Mi Guitarra
3. Otra Vez
4. Te queiro a ti
5. Este amor
6. Hermosa
7. Del Ayer
8. Simpre Nuevo
9. Riendo Asi
10. El Sabor
11. Tan Cerca
12. Amatoria

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I’ve recently discovered the music of Argentine singer-songwriter Federico Aubele.  Blending Mexican Bolero, Jamaican dub and reggae, American ambient and Argentine tango, Aubele recently released “Amatoria”, his third full-length album.

Aubele who received worldwide notice from his song “Esta Noche” featured on the fifth season of TV series “Alias”, “Amatoria” is an album that is passionate, romantic and sexy as it brings together Federico’s suave and smooth vocals, guitar playing in combination with subtle beats.

For the first track “luna y sol” which opens up with an acoustic guitar with a reggae vibe, Aubele said he received the inspiration to create the song after accidentally bumping into four keys while drinking a cup of tea and talking to his wife while sitting with his out-of-tune piano.

Aubele said, “A nice melody came out, but since the piano was so out of tune, each key was not the right note.  I saw that the tea bag had a message on it, which said ‘Let Good Things Come to You.’  I said, ‘That’s it!’ I went up and played the riff on my guitar and started developing the melody.”

Other tracks that I absolute enjoyed were “te quiero a ti” which has a Spanish style of feel but just emanates sexiness and passion and follows up with that passion “Hermosa” which is a straightforward Mexican-style bolero love song.  For “siempre nuevo”, along with the cool guitar riff is an upbeat drum machine and just emanates coolness.  “Suena Mi Guitarra” is an uptempo and hook guided track which was the first release off the album.  I absolutely love the vocal tandem between Aubele and the female vocalist for the chorus.

Also, included in the album are wonderful vocal collaborations.

For the track “Otra Vez”, Aubele teams up with Sabina Sciubba, lead vocalist of the NYC band, Brazilian Girls and Miho Hattori of the Cibo Matto who lends her breathy background vocals for the track “Riendo Asi”.

The track “Este Amore” features Aubele and music artist Natalia Clavier (Aubele’s wife) which is a song he has dedicated to her and a tribute to the great bolero trios of the past.  Aubele’s deep Argentine voice in combination with Clavier’s romantic vocals are intertwined with passion.  An awesome track!

Overall, Federico Aubele’s “Amatoria” is a sexy and passionate album.  As an avid fan of music around the world (which in many cases, I clearly do not understand the lyrics), similar to how opera can touch one’s soul despite not necessarily knowing what is being said most of the time, you hear the passion, you hear the anguish, you feel the emotion.

People looking for music that captivates your ears through charismatic vocals and beautiful music, you can’t help but hear the passion that comes from each track of “Amatoria”.   A delightful album that is worth checking out!

Federico Aubele – “Amatoria”

Label: ESL Music
Album Release Date: 15th June 2009
Catalogue Number: ESL147

From the country acclaimed for its genius footballers and red wine, Federico Aubele returns with his third album, ‘Amatoria’. Hinting to the familiar sounds of his critically acclaimed debut ‘Gran Hotel Buenos Aires’, Aubele has forged an album entirely about love. Driven by Aubele’s sensual vocals and Latin guitar, ‘Amatoria’ showcases what makes this gypsy troubadour so beloved by many.

Currently residing in New York, the born and bred Argentine singer-songwriter, is renowned for his eminent ability to cement a concoction of genres from Jamaican dub to Mexican Bolero and twelve tracked ‘Amatoria’ features Aubele at his simplest and most personal. Completely self produced, and for the first time featured entirely on lead vocals, ‘Amatoria’ showcases his voice at it’s most relaxed and with minimal reservation. His conscious decision to opt for lucid instrumentation, consisting of subtle beats, a guitar and FX pedal in order to cultivate the ambient acoustics heard throughout the album, perfectly reflects the inevitable highs and lows that comes with being in love.

One day, while talking with his wife and sitting at a wildly out-of-tune piano, Aubele accidentally bumped four keys with the cup of tea that was in his hand. “A nice melody came out, but since the piano was so out of tune, each key was not the right note,” Aubele smiles. “I saw that the tea bag had a message on it, which said ‘Let Good Things Come to you.’ I said, ‘That’s it!’ I went up and played the riff on my guitar and started developing the melody.” The result was ‘Luna y sol’ the opening track, which chronicles the union of male and female, the joining of two separate lives. Aubele accompanies this with the first release from the album, an uptempo and hook guided single titled ‘Suena Mi Guitarra’.

Further highlight tracks from the album include ‘Hermosa’, a straightforward Mexican-style bolero sung with an Argentinean accent. “The lyrics are a very straightforward love poem about a very intimate moment,” Aubele explains. ‘Este Amor’ with guest vocals from Natalia Clavier, Federico’s wife, is dedicated to her and is a tribute to the great bolero trios of the past, whilst further female collaborations come from Sabina Sciubba of The Brazilian Girls on ‘Otra Vez’, and Miho Hatori of Cibo Matto on ‘Riendo Asi’.

The faultless fusion of his idiosyncratic Spanish guitar sound and sultry vocals, accompanied by subtle electronic beats, creates an intimate and unique collage of love songs that make ‘Amatoria’ an album to be cherished.