Awe Owe, the debut album from Roberto Carlos Lange’s Helado Negro (black ice cream) project, offers a lot of breezy summer music; the problem is that too often it just breezes past. Awash in lush xylophones, relaxed acoustic guitars, synth brushes and gently trotting percussion, the album is a thoroughly pleasant listen throughout, but it lacks any moments that truly stand out.
While the album’s laidback, lazy-day-at-the-beach vibe is part of its charm, it also ends up hurting Awe Owe as Lange doesn’t seem willing to allow his folk-tropicalia to rise above the background. His almost entirely Spanish vocals are hushed and buried underneath the album’s shimmering production, his songwriting often goes to great lengths to avoid anything resembling a hook and he employs repetitious builds that never quite get anywhere. There’s just nothing to grab onto.
Yet, Awe Owe isn’t really a failure. It’s unassuming, unspectacular and easy to forget even when it’s playing, but play the album quietly on a sunny day with an icy drink and it’ll make the background sound just right.
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