Dos gajos apply to music the theory that less is more. A healthy theory if ever there was one, as long as those who embrace it are capable of saying a lot with very little. And Dos gajos do that. The band turn traditional heritage into primitive rock, and rock into a sluggish pop form; and without really meaning to, they succeed in giving birth to a new musical form in Spanish pop music.
Dos gajos are a duo formed by Esperanza Collado and Juan Carlos Fernández (Baladista, Matrimonio, Penélope Trip) who make what’s costumary sound like an odd ritual. To that end, they employ means to obtain sounds which, while some would dismiss for being flawed, are based on virtues. The simplicity of the melodies, the sweet drone like, steady pace of the rhythms used, the austerity of the songs’ arrangements, the lack of charm in the sound. And the lyrics. The lyrics, akin to the accompanying sound, are about situations and stories which end up becoming litanies. Sweets that turn bitter. A steep slope. A slow dance. A doubt. A question mark. Claustrophobia.
Dos gajos have released a self-titled debut, the EP ‘Y seis canciones’, and their third and last album ‘Dos’ from 2013. All three records are the extended version of a private world that rings very familiar. The songs serve to confirm the existence of certain foreign musical leanings that can fit perfectly with our traditions and background. With our reality, one we mightn’t see but which is always there. That’s exactly what Dos gajos are. That’s what they do. The ‘less is more’ theory in the service of gripping, captivating music. Less is more. In Dos gajos’ case, less is much more (…) Rafa Cervera.
