Junior Mesa, 20-something and completely incredible, dropped a duo of tracks titled "Buta Fly" and "Bleacher Blues". Both songs are a perfect display of works from a young artist who is far beyond their time.
Los Angeles is full of talent, everyone knows this. However, in some, there is an extra special sliver of greatness. For Junior Mesa, it’s much more than a sliver. He’s the whole damn pie’s worth of greatness. Twenty three and free as the wind, virtuoso Junior Mesa is known for his signature timeless-yet-modern sound. A child reared in the era of the Internet, Mesa spent his free time scouring YouTube, educating himself on the musical greats of the 60’s and 70’s. Counting the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Wes Mongtomery, Sly and The Family Stone, and Jimi Hendrix as his core influences, it’s safe to say he’s done his homework. This week, the multi-instrumentalist brought us two presents: “Buta Fly” and “Bleacher Blues”. Both are impressively amazing, unsurprisingly.
“Bleacher Blues”, upon first listen, feels like the end of a long day, coming home to a comfortably familiar setting, still not feeling completely satisfied. The Bakersfield native employs guitar layers, sounds bytes from nature, and a synthesized vocal to create a piece of music that feels classic, naturalistic, funkadelic, and experimentally wise. Feeling lost and broken in the arms of a lover, Mesa’s lyrics communicate the feelings of someone who is searching for the truth, coming to terms with their past, and existing in the overwhelming, fleeting rush that is youth. “Buta Fly” a 2 -and-a-half minute wordless track, tickled and fluttered about my ears in a wonderful manner. Distantly reminding me of Mort Garrison’s “Plantasia”, Mesa’s utilization of funky synths surrounded by layers of guitars & string instruments, with a bobbing baseline supporting from underneath, engulfed and soothed me. The melding and marrying of so many unique, intricate sounds complimenting each other all at once, it was total bliss amongst organized chaos. About the craftsmanship of his work, Junior Mesa shares, “I like being able to take my songs in the exact direction I want them to go. It is fully me, it is pure,”. Having his hand in total control over the production, writing, and recording of his work, Junior wields his creative mastery to a tee. Having recently relocated to the City Of Angels, Junior Mesa is expected to release more exceptional works this year. Make sure to keep this one in your front pocket.
07/13/2022
Junior Mesa
Pookie Los Angeles
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