Valgur is a psychedelic-pop / indie-pop band hailing from the town of Juchitán de Zaragoza in Oaxaca, Mexico. The band is comprised of Elizabeth and Hugo Valdivieso, and Julio Sánchez. Elizabeth Valdivieso Gurrión formed the band, and the name Valgur is a combination of her surnames. The lyrics to her music are written in both Spanish and Zapotec, with many lyrical callbacks to her hometown of Juchitán. Their debut album, Zapandú, which released on March 8, is named after a Zapotec word for a plant that grows in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, where Juchitán is located. The band cites inspirations such as Tatsuro Yamashita, Kool & and the Gang, Raymond Carver, Yunko Yagami, and many others for their unique sound.
I originally came across this album because a friend recommended it to me after seeing it on the front page of the “World” section of the iTunes Discover section. Zapandú as an album is incredibly deceiving at first. On the surface, it is a beautiful psychedelic-pop album with hints of neo-psychedelia similar to that of Brooklyn-based band Crumb. Valgur uses psychedelic-pop as a frame for their unique sound, which hits harder and is more poppy than Crumb. The driving synth lines in tandem with the heavy bass is reminiscent of Kero Kero Bonito’s newest album Time ‘n’ Place, but the psychedelic edge allows Valgur to distinguish themselves as something completely different than either of those bands.
The fifth song on the album, “Bupu,” really broke it open for me and was the point in the album where I realized how much of a force to be reckoned with Valgur is. The song opens with a frenetically repeating synth line that immediately reminded me of work by Louis Cole and Knower. The synth is decorated with sporadic sound effects and is occasionally doubled by a slightly processed piano. Every time you expect the synth line to peak and climax, the two-minute song dives into psychedelic-pop break that reminds me that I’m listening to Valgur, not Louis Cole, Knower, or Vulfpeck. Valgur is funky, fresh, and sexy. Sporadic sound effects, driving synth lines, and psychedelic guitars give Valgur a fresh sound that keeps me coming back. I would highly recommend them for anyone who is a fan of the new indie-pop driven wave of psychedelic-pop that is becoming increasingly present in the United States and internationally.
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