On his debut LP “Jardín”, Gabriel Garzón-Montano sings of the struggles and uncertainties of living in America today, and the universal challenges of love.
A Brooklyn-born and raised child of immigrant parents, Gabriel’s aesthetic is an extension of his French-Colombian heritage. His influence is a pastiche of Bach sonatas, Cumbia records, and the machine gun funk that echoes up and down Nostrand Ave. His mother, a member of the Philip Glass ensemble in the 1990s, instilled within him a painstaking attention to detail that remains a hallmark of his process. “She is the reason that I love music,” he says. Her rigorous classical instruction formed the foundation on which he honed his skills over the years in the lab, copping Stevie’s changes, studying Prince’s lyrics, and absorbing the beat theses of Timbaland, Dilla, and Pete Rock.
Fans of “Bishouné” will find familiar ground in the organic sounds and impressionist narratives of Jardín: the Moog-heavy “Fruitflies” reads as a lyrical epilogue to “Keep on Running,” while “The Game” brings the folkloric percussion of “Me Alone” home from Cartagena to Crown Heights. The enduring choruses of “Sour Mango,” “Crawl,” and “My Balloon” exhibit a melodic and compositional craftsmanship reminiscent of the fan favorite “Everything is Everything,” confirming Garzón-Montano’s innate pop sensibilities, and his knack for fusing a wide range of classic influences and cutting-edge ideas to create a sound all his own.
Available Januar 27th on iTunes or Stones Throw Records.