There is perfect symmetry between the noise of heartbreaking loss and the quiet stillness of outer space, a chasm artist Arturo Luna has been exploring for nearly three years. The mastermind behind Mexican post-rock project De Osos, Luna has thus far released an EP and full-length album, on which he’s searched the inner reaches of his mind and heart, mysteriously laying out a road map to catharsis without charting departure or arrival points. Luna’s music is strictly instrumental, like the perfect cup in which to pour your feelings, and his latest singles are some of the finest transmissions from his journey.
Let’s start with the video for “Campo de Terror Absoluto,” off De Osos’ LP Todo El Ruido Entre Nosotros, released back in March. The album is a field of controlled chaos, where “Terror” stands out for being a noisy yet spellbinding moment of contemplation. The song is driven by an almost innocent piano melody and skeletal kick drum, peppered with bursts of frantic electronic static that conjure images of unresolved arguments and regret. With that in mind, the video is an apt companion piece, as it features jagged white shapes suddenly appearing on a deserted black background, mimicking the slow, turbulent, and perilous crawl of a ship navigating an asteroid belt.
The companion single is “Leve Distorción en el Aire,” a newly crafted masterpiece that teases De Osos’ musical future. Evincing a move past his space odyssey soundtracks, it’s rather ironic that “Leve Distorción en el Aire” should be Luna’s lightest and most ethereal composition to date. Beautifully balanced between cinematic orchestration and bare-bones minimalism, it seems that as Luna’s musical ambitions grow, the more he frees himself from the binds of conventional instrumentation. The song is heartrending, and though the subject matter is vague, it’s nearly impossible to avoid reading deeper into the emotion behind the music.
Luna took the name De Osos from the Latin for Arturo, which means “Guardian of the Bear,” in reference to the Ursa Major constellation. While citing his celestial inspirations and offering a subtle tribute to his deceased father – also named Arturo – Luna’s music remains a mirror for our own emotions. This isn’t music for loud, crowded spaces, but an introspective bubble to retreat into, examine your feelings, and hopefully reemerge a bit more balanced and unburdened.