Solutions

Superaquello

Not many people in Sweden know much about Puerto Rico, less about its music scene. There are obvious reasons for this, one being that there are not many Puerto Ricans living in Sweden or Scandinavia for that matter.There’s a plethora of bands and music styles that I could cover but I have decided to start with a band that I like a lot.

Superaquello (The Super Other) is a vanguard band from San Juan, Puerto Rico that plays a unique style of music. I was first introduced to their music in 1999 by my brother who had received a demo tape from one of the singers of the band who worked in the same restaurant at the time. I was blown away by what I heard. Only two songs comprised this small demo (El Amolao, El Ornitorrinco). At that time I was listening alot to The Mission UK and Depeche Mode leaving behind much of the black and progressive metal. The Smiths and Stereolab had started excerting more of their influence replacing the more gloomy Joy Division and Bahaus, and my band Laudanum found itself playing more pop than goth. I had the opportunity to experience a live performance by Superaquello and say hello to the male singer. This was one of those bands that captivated their audiences completely. You couldn’t escape their melodies, singing and catchy rhythms - either you where listening attentively or simply where lost moving your body. Either way they had you. But this was not to your disadvantage, since it united the audience and fused the people around you - we were all connected somehow, we didn’t have to worry about others just experience the music.
Its been many years since I was in Puerto Rico but I’ve maintained contact with friends and family. Whenever I receive news about a bands progress I take time to listen to their achievements. At the moment its Superaquello. They have released three albums. Take a look at their website (all their music is online, some songs shortened as samples but most are complete). Just select the pink ''button'', the following two are also albums. My favorite songs from each album:

• El Amolao, Ornitorrinco, Tres Reyes, De Boca
• Farifo, Stiki
• Fuerza de Gravedad, Melancohólico a Destiempo