MAQUINA. (João Cavalhiero – guitars and effects, Halison Peres – drums and vocals, and José “Mendy” Rego – bass) took more time to craft their second album, Body Transmission, than their debut album (Prata, which more more focused on improvisation), but that only means they had plenty of opportunities to make sure it would be relentless.
The opening riffs and beats of “dança” (with Dame Area helping on vocals) are your passcode to the dance floor and also the lock on the door as it closes behind you, because you won’t be leaving for a while. “4-to-the-floor” has Cavalhiero chugging out near-metal riffs while Peres’ vocals take on gritty, distorted, growling menace.
Already feeling tired from the dancing? No worries, because “collapsing” will keep you from doing just that with its wild vocals, chainsaw guitars, and driving bass line. Rego’s bass on “agony” is designed to push you through the aches and dehydration of all the dance floor aerobics…because we’re not even halfway through the album. Cavalhiero’s guitar work on “bizarro” sounds like a sawmill full of hornets.
The short instrumental “valve” gives you just enough time to chug a small bottle of water before the great-for-grinding (either hunks of metal on a stone or bodies on bodies) “simulation.” Then, is it just me or do the opening drums of “step on me” reveal Peres’ love of ZZ Top‘s Billy Beard? Rego’s bass on it is perhaps his grooviest of the whole album.
Peres shouts / roars his vocals through “out of fear” to encourage us to shake off our fears through action (in this case, dancing). The album ends with “pressure / pleasure,” a sweaty, sizzling, throbbing dance-punk track to leave you exhausted and a bit euphoric.
Body Transmission is another winner from MAQUINA. The album’s title fits, as the songs feel like they’re being directly transmitted to and through your body from them. The way it makes you move transmits signals from your body to others, which repeats the process throughout the room, club, bus station, or wherever you are.
Keep your mind open.
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[Thanks to Kate at Stereo Sanctity.]
