Omar Rodríguez-López: Telesterion

Omar Rodríguez-López
Telesterion
(Rodriguez Lopez Productions)

When it comes to musicians, few are as prolific as Omar Rodríguez-López. Perhaps best known for his roles in The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In, the multi-instrumentalist has released more than twenty solo albums in less than a decade. Telesterion, accordingly, is a compilation that gives a sense of Rodríguez-López’s discography.

Sprawling across two discs that total more than two hours of music, Telesterion is a dizzy pass into Rodríguez-López’s world, consistently disorienting and splashed in moods and twists that often seem to be drug-induced. Fuzzy, intricate guitar noise can sometimes sprawl for tracks, and guest vocalists break up what might otherwise be an overwhelming amount of psychedelic, post-hardcore rock. Fans of Rodríguez-López’s  bands shouldn’t be surprised by his solo style, his creativity coming to full bloom. “Calibration,” for instance, features vocals that sound like a power drill, whereas “Polaridad” would be suited for any electro record.

Anyone interested in checking out Rodríguez-López’s solo work without having to buy over a dozen albums should definitely start with Telesterion. It features some of his strongest work, such as the beautiful and epic “Victimas Del Cielo” and the fuzzy, horn-enhanced “Rapid Fire Tollbooth.” Of course, the composer has written so many songs that you could banter back and forth for hours about the merits of individual tracks and albums. Sit back, close your eyes, and enter the colorful, chaotic, compelling world a decade in the making.