The guys from Chilean band MKRNI have never hid their love and passion for the ’80s. It’s been an omnipresent running theme since their 2009 album Maca & Roni Delux. And after the straightforward tropical dance sounds of Playa Futuro (2012, Hueso Records), they return with Canciones, and they now have morphed into a melancholic party of some sort, still rooted on that decade.
We had already heard poppy single “Calor” and the dreamy “Inercia,” and they are pretty much an accurate representation of what we can find on Canciones. 80s pop songs infused with synth pop, techno and old school house, which range from the ethereal, slow numbers, like “Media vuelta,” to dancey, up-tempo tracks, like “Corazón de piedra.” The sound palette and instrumentation is limited, featuring the presence of some organic textures. The vocals feel like the weakest element, sometimes even slightly out of tune. But they provide some naiveté to the songs which seems to work on this context.
MKRNI may have changed a little, but they are as enjoyable as ever.