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Pablo Embon In Your Skin Review by Gary Hill This upcoming digital release from Pablo Embon will be available on February 27th. It's definitely the kind of quality release I've come to expect from Embon. The music here is generally jazz based, but leans on the fusion end of things enough to land it under progressive rock, which is where I've put his previous releases I've reviewed. Embon plays all the instruments here and provides vocals on a couple songs, while two other singers (Virginia Tepsich and Melissa Embon) lend their voices on a song or two. The majority of this set is instrumental, but there are enough vocal pieces to break up that concept a little. This is a strong release from an artist with a history of producing strong releases. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2021 Volume 1. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2021.

Track by Track Review

Hat Gaya Energized piano brings this into being. The cut works out from there to some killer jazz jamming. That piano really drives the number. The bass work has some real magical moments along the road, too.

Remember Me I love the cool jazz guitar work on this mid-tempo number. It really glides into some fusion zones, and the guitar soloing even borders on progressive rock at times. There are some symphonic keyboard sounds on the closing moments of this piece.

The Day Will Come Jazz piano brings this into being. As the other instruments slide into the arrangement, it takes on a real fusion vibe. There is some powerful acoustic guitar picking further along the musical path. This is quite a journey, and one of the highlights of the set.

Click on Me This song features vocals by Virginia Tepsich (lead) and Melissa Embon (backing). This is another classy fusion based tune and includes a lot of great layers of sound.

In Your Skin The title track is a bit more reflective. Pablo Embon provides some vocals on this song, but they are more instrumentation that lyrical vocals. The number gets more energetic and inspired as it continues.

Jam Pie I love the killer fusion guitar work on this piece. The whole number has a great groove, This is classy and classic.

Riverside I love the interplay between the piano and fusion-styled guitar on this piece. The rest of the instruments create plenty of magic, too, though. The piano soloing is stellar. I'm reminded a bit of Rick Wakeman in some ways by that aspect of the song. This has some of the most intriguing music of the whole set, and really is a highlight.

Primera Estrofa Virginia Tepsich returns on vocals here. The lyrics are in Spanish. There is a dreamy, trippy quality to the number. It has a lot of old school jazz at its heart. This is a mellower cut, but still manages to work in some pretty inspired instrumental work. I love the acoustic guitar work later in the number in particular.

Silently Awake Echoey, chiming sounds bring this into being. There is a real spacey vibe to this introduction. The cut gets grounded after that with an acoustic guitar and piano based arrangement. That is taken into mellower fusion zones as it evolves. It's a short and intriguing piece of music.

Crack the Whip Percussion starts this number. It launches out into some energetic fusion jamming from that introduction. I dig the bass jamming on this thing. Then again, the whole tune is classy.

The Space Between Us The keyboard textures that really drive this take the cut more into the zone of electronic prog. I can hear hints of stuff like Synergy. There is a driving energy at the back of the piece. The tune is one of the most "different" songs here. It's also a highlight, in part because of the variety it brings. That said, there is some piano that brings it closer to the other music here.

Grey Rain There is some great piano work on this number. Of course, that makes sense since it's a piano solo. It's a classy one at that.

Simple Days I like the musical arrangement on this a lot. Pablo Embon provides the vocals on this cut. It has a great fusion style and delivery. It is a pretty and mid-tempo cut with a Latin edge to it. I really love the passion and flavor of the guitar solo that takes over late in the piece. This makes for a great closer.

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