Sam De La Rosa puts forth a puzzling audio persona on Chameleon, somewhere on the map near the Atlas Sound straits and the Socrates That Practices Music plateau. Eternal sadness is a given, yet there’s hope against hope against hope, and it’s on behalf of this De La Rosa’s wriggling voice is struggling for. And wriggle it does, like an electric eel on a hook, while cold beatz and Chameleons guitars shimmer like the forsaken sun. The sense of atmosphere amid the title track, on its own, is worth the price of purchase, but stay tuned for “Tank Man” because it’s a key piece of audio legislation as well, understated and lovely. “Erase Blanco” veers into Legendary Pink Dots/Edward Ka-Spel territory, always a good thing, with a singular splendor that wouldn’t seem out of place on a small-run tape. Much like “Tank Man,” “Fungus” is there to help your brain unwind after the flourish of “Blanco,” but don’t get too comfortable, as “Cannot Meet Today” will ZAPP-a-DAP your ass back to life in a hurry with mega-drone antics and synths that mean what they say (or else they wouldn’t say it). Never turn your back on De La Rosa or …
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