Rhythm, melody, and chords. Those are what make the language of music universal. And that’s why even if we can only sing along phonetically, we still appreciate the beauty of a tune, no matter what tongue it’s in – no subtitles necessary.
So let’s talk Rulitos. The Chilean-American multi-instrumentalist-songwriter behind this curly-haired handle is Daniel Sanchez, who first earned local familiarity through his electric guitar work with Austin quintet Turtle Pond and original scores for dance productions and films. And no doubt those multifaceted experiences (especially aligning movement and emotion with music) have helped Sanchez’ strength on the solo front as Rulitos. Seriously, Rulitos soars with an atmospheric acoustic folk aura that makes him sound like the bilingual, Spanish-speaking love child of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith for a wholly transportive effect, and when you hear his recent recordings, you know we’re not exaggerating.
Speaking of such soft sensations, Rulitos’ introductory collection of cuatro canciones, EP 1, is out tomorrow. Rulitos will be taking these new numbers to stage for a free EP release show tomorrow at Vaquero Taquero alongside Fuvk, Sprig, and Cloud Companion and again Saturday evening at Coral Snake with Pam Reyes and Other Vessels. Ready to wrap your fingers around EP 1? Luckily the record’s lead single “Envuelto En Tus Uñas”, is the polar opposite of nails scraping on a chalkboard; minimalist MIDI drum patterns massage unhurried acoustic guitar arpeggios underneath ethereal layers of breathy vocals and a pseudo-orchestral climax to create a serene en Español scene that’ll leave you thinking, “que linda es” to say the least.
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