Spearheaded by Javier Elizondo, Priscila Orfanos, and Gerardo Gamez, Mind Cinema is a Monterrey/Vancouver band that creates surreal, numbing soundscapes, perfectly capturing the ambiguity, chaos and beauty of the subconscious. Their sound carefully touches on electronica, ambient and shoegaze indie rock.

Sun Beat is the group’s first EP. It comes with 8 tracks tinged with dreamy sounds that crosses between the unpredictability of The Flaming Lips and ambient landscapes of Sigur Ros. Listening to the record is like getting blown away into a dreamland where beauty and madness mix freely and are emanating from the same source. It’s a record worth having. The group also has several cool videos on Youtube, check those as well. They perfectly capture the band’s unique sound.

Even though the members of the group created and recorded this compilation being a couple of hundred miles apart, Sun Beat still resonates with a coherent and enchanting sound that emanates from a group of individuals who clearly know and understand each others psyche. The sound is sonic and cerebral, stubbornly anchoring itself into your brain.

Opening with the catchy Downsides of Freedom, this upbeat electronic rock single mixes beautiful vocals and lovely beats. According to Javier, the group aims to “create a laid-back mood and soundscape for the listener to get lost into.” True enough, listening to this track is like floating away in space, surrounded by lovely, colorful stars and galaxies. It definitely gets you “lost” into an infinite sonic landscape.

Title track, Sun Beat, is an electronic pop affair that reminds me of being stuck on Groundhog Day, repeating yourself over and over again, yet knowing that everything is being repeated. It’s a mindboggling track that plays on your senses. It’s not exactly my favorite but it does win props for being a very cool cut that you can probably play if you’re feeling lazy and moody. Meanwhile, speaking of favorites, Monkeys, definitely claims top spot on my list. It’s a gorgeous, quiet track that effortlessly eases your discomfort and lets you plug into a relaxing world. The cut has a moody appeal that makes me think of sweet Monday mornings  basking in the soft glow of early sunshine as well as a busy NY street with crowds of people.

True to their goal, the album does manage to bring listeners into a whole new world. Allowing them to drift on and become lost in the swirling guitars, sweet vocals, and electronic/synth vibes. Go ahead and download this EP today. It’s well worth it.


Related Links:

Mind Cinema Official Website
Mind Cinema on Facebook
Mind Cinema on Twitter
Mind Cinema on The Side B
Mind Cinema on YouTube