On his second album Réplica, the Dominican-born Juango Dávalos delivers extremely well-produced synth-pop that is reminiscent of New Order, The Human League, and She Wants Revenge. The influence is evident but Dávalos doesn’t mimic, he delivers synth-pop gems that merge the grooves of “rock en español” with the best of ’80s synth and goth-like rhythms that are perfect to dance along to at a party, and also for those of us who have a darker sensibilities. Self-co-producing all tracks, Dávalos’ voice is very fitting for the keyboard-driven and bilingual tunes that compile Réplica.
The polished production and dance rhythms of “Boyish” and “Violencia” make them feel like they could easily be played on a runway in Paris or New York. Réplica deals with some dark themes and lyrical subject matter on “Reeling” and “Fin,” both of which are delivered over tempos where one could easily picture goths dancing and singing along to. At times, Dávalos’s low voice and haunting delivery reminds me of La Barranca’s Jose Manuel Aguilera especially on the final track, “Un Patron.” Réplica not only pays homage to the great synth-pop acts of yesteryear, but it builds on their legacy and serves as an appetizer to the talent that Juango Dávalos has to contribute in forging new territory in the soundscape of Latin America. Overall, Réplica is a short but a great album that offers excellent synth-pop music that has a timeless quality to it.
So don’t waste any time and download/stream Juango Dávalos’ Réplica below!
