Track Review: TRONCO ‘Animales’

TRONCO (which translates from Spanish to “Trunk”) is the collaboration between comic illustrator Conxita Herrero, who includes personalized illustrations with each single and album released by the band, and his sibling Fermí Herrero. 

A cute, playful ditty from the Barcelona-based pop duo, “Animales” is both dreamy and brittle. The track is a single from the duo’s first full-length album and was released on the Spanish independent pop label Elefant Records.

Though Conxita and Fermí are the primary force of this musical project, this album boasts a long list of collaborators and featured instrumental work from the likes of Eloy Bernal, Anna Fredriksson, and Laura Antolín.

The overall sunny mood is set with birds chirping at the start the song. The lo-fi drum machine, warm keys and Fermí’s soft vocals kick in all at once and later, Conxita’s voice harmonizes with Fermí’s. Short kicks from an analog-sounding drum machine are peppered in throughout the two-minute track.

“Animales” is a cute and playful blend of simple melodies texturized by analog effects, creating a surprisingly complex sound for such a simple tune. It’s clever, cute, and makes you yearn for a long for a warm, sunny day during these cold winter months.