THEMES FOR IMAGINARY WESTERNS

Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez weave haunting guitar instrumentals evocative of spaghetti-western scores. With Sonido Cósmico, they show why they are the most exciting guitar duo of our time.

- JOE BOSSO

HERMANOS GUTIÉRREZ make music to get lost in. Brothers Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez weave intricate guitar parts to create haunting and beguiling instrumentals that work on a metaphysical level. They're not looking for a choreographed response from listeners. Instead, their unique blend of retro Latin and South American music - leisurely paced and drenched in reverb and echo treatments that evoke Ennio Morricone's spaghetti-western scores invites you to simply sit back and chill. Or do whatever you want. They're okay with that.

"The truth is, we don't make music for other people," Estevan says. "For us, it's about connecting with each other by playing. Of course, it's beautiful that other people react to our music on whatever level they want. They can go on their own journeys and attach their own feelings to our songs. It's very personal music. It doesn't have to mean the same thing to everybody."

Alejandro, Estevan's younger brother by eight years, agrees. "I hear from fans who listen to our music while they're painting or cooking," he offers. "Some people meditate to it. I love that. We're part of this mini cosmos in people's worlds. They bring us into their lives in so many ways. I think that's pretty cool."

Born to an Ecuadorian mother and a Swiss father, and raised in Switzerland, the brothers recorded their first four albums on their own, perfecting their intoxicating dual-guitar soundscapes using minimal added instrumentation. "We really only need ourselves to set a mood," Alejandro says. "What my brother does on the guitar is so perfect, with his rhythm and fingerpicking. He's very inspired by salsa, and the way he plays is so tight, you can almost feel a whole band behind him."