UNA EP Review in Properly Chilled

Posted by Richard Larsen, August 4, 1984

 

Properly Chilled review of UNA: The Rain is Over and Gone EP

http://www.properlychilled.com 

UNA are a jazz/electronica influenced downtempo trio based in Los Angeles, CA. Their sound borrows heavily from triphop, lounge, Latin, spy movie soundtracks, and torch singer ethics, producing a generally dusky vibe. Drawing comparisons to acts like Morcheeba, King Kooba, Soma Sonic, or Baby Fox isn’t hard to do.

UNA, the trio of Richard Larsen, Jennifer Cook and Eddie Barajas, straddles the territory between electronica, triphop and in brief moments, acoustic indie sounds. There are subdued beats, many keyboards, and a bit of turntablism with added “organics” like acoustic and electric guitar and bass. UNA describe themselves as “an experiment in Latin, blues, trip-hop and soul”. Certainly The last two are most accurate, as Una distinctly lacks blues riffs, and nods only a little to Latin rhythms.

Jennifer Cook’s soft vocals dominate all five of the songs. She is both sensual and yearning, creating a sophisticated lounge feeling with touches of torch and exotica. The songs are melodic, minor-key musings that can haunt you after a few listenings. They sneak up on you, beginning with quiet electronic effects.

“Jonah” is where you’ll hear the acoustic indie sound, “Fading in C# Minor” has a triphop flavor, “Blue Dress” makes nice and uncharacteristically strong use of Latin strings and percussion, “Angels At My Door” revisits the triphop sound, and “Hate” has over a minute of ambient, gurgling nature and psychedelia before Cook’s voice begins and the song evolves into a lounge/exotica inspired sound.

My only complaint is the EP length. At about half an hour, just like the rain, it is over and gone before you want it to be.

~ Dave Howell —