Picnic

Album Review

Cineplexx is really the name for the project of Argentinean singer/songwriter Sebastian Litmanovich, based in Barcelona at the time of this release, his fifth album. Litmanovich dominates the proceedings as the singer, songwriter, and a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass, percussion, keyboards, and various electronics. Picnic is dreamy indie pop that manages the difficult feat of utilizing early 21st century technology without having it overwhelm the singable tunes and melodies that remain at the heart of the music, and employing at least as much traditional instrumentation as it does more contemporary effects. The very act of including a song titled "Belle & Sebastian" is a good indication of Litmanovich's sensibilities, however, and he obviously made some friends in the international indie pop scene prior to this album, as there are guest appearances by Jad Fair, Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake, and BMX Bandits' Duglas Stewart, who takes the lead vocals on "Tiger Trap." Litmanovich's breathy, hushed style of singing suitably complements generally attractive, breezy, and occasionally soaring melodies and harmonies with imaginatively varied arrangements. There are echoes of both vintage British psychedelia and West Coast harmony pop/rock ("Humedad" being a highlight in the latter regard) in a collection that's something of a laid-back set of intelligent, non-mainstream good-time music.