Originally from Venezuela, but now residing in Miami, FL, the duo of Guillermo Perez and Arturo, collectively known as Cave of Swimmers play music residing somewhere between progressive rock and atmospheric sludge filled with Latino jazzy favors. Sounds intriguing? You bet, and their EP Reflection makes for an excellent appetizer for Cave of Swimmers prospects. Synth organ serving as a connective tissue before heaviness ensues (The Skull), Cave of Swimmers are creating involved, varying tempo compositions interspersed with sludgy riffs, complex solos and rising Latin music crescendos. And even when you think they have a more traditional, more straightforward song structure, just when you get ready to rock “regularly” to Still Running, Brazilian beach rhythms throw you totally off kilter. Guillermo’s voice, strangely enough, reminds me of high pitched Messiah Marcolin, with even some operatic flavor, and at times one might wonder if the dense music and the high floating voice are in total harmony. Thus, title track instrumental allows the band to completely connect synth spacey sections and riffed out progressive inclinations without vocal distractions.

Overall though, the EP is providing for fantastic flair and flow and allows you to experience a series of some of the brightest, most cheerful melodies in The Prince of the Power of the Air before turning to the guitar display of skills. In fact, Cave of Swimmers set the expectations so high throughout I was wondering why they would resort to repeating the main riff of The Prince of the Power of the Air for 8 times in a row. Sure enough, the riff is a qualified stoner sludge monster, but excessive repetitiveness does not serve Cave of Swimmers well in this case, making the edit of the same song, also appearing on Reflection, to be that bonafide hit they were looking for. Leaving Latino break on the edit was the right way to achieve breakthrough, however.

The talent is obvious and undeniable with Cave of Swimmers, the only question is how they will channel it in the future.