Como Asesinar a Felipes – Un Disparo al Centro

(Koolarrow Records, 2011)

Un Disparo al Centro is the second album by Chilean band Como Asesinar a Felipes. Their style is unique, mixing rap vocals, jazz drumming, a piano, the Juvenile National Symphony Orchestra of Santiago, and DJ Sp@cio providing scratches and samples. Vocalist Koala Contreras’ rap vocals, all in Spanish, give a ghetto feel to the album which is in deep contrast to the orchestral arrangements; it’s street yet lounge, savage yet affectionate.

The first two tracks seem to act as an introduction to the album, providing just a hint of what may be coming before La Puerta No Se Abre Sola features all the aforementioned characteristics and more. A jazz arrangement is quickly layered with scratches, samples, and aggressive vocals creating something quite dramatic, this theme is followed until the music starts to mimic the vocals and become somewhat wild, calming itself down ever so slowly thereafter.

Title track Un Disparo al Centro adds another element with a female operatic vocals complimenting, and at the same time contrasting, Contreras’ street rhymes. Cuando La Verdad No Encaja is the centerpiece of the album; the title, meaning “when the truth does not fit”, is enforced by Contreras and accompanied by heavy bass and a delightfully delicate piano arrangement.

Nuevo Dia Para Comenzar rounds out the album with DJ Sp@cio’s turntable tricks giving way to a dramatic and enchanting arrangement void of Contreras vocals. And then it’s over… all too soon. Just seven tracks make up the album, two of which barely register a minute long, but it is a bargain and well worth a listen as it is definitely something different and unlikely to be replicated.