Savath & Savalas

Scott Herren has traveled far from his days as a young Atlanta graffiti writer who merged electronic music and hip-hop through guises such as Delarosa and Asora, Prefuse 73, and Savath & Savalas. Now an influential musician living in Barcelona, Spain, Herren has revived Savath & Savalas as a vehicle for Latin folk art. He plays guitars, percussion, bass, synthesizers and other instruments, filtering them all through his now-famous post-production techniques. But the resulting Golden Pollen isn’t clipped and chopped like the Prefuse 73 material. With its deliberately slow pacing and Herren’s moody vocals, it’s somewhat sleepy and lush. Sung completely in Catalan, and marked by achingly dreamlike landscapes such as “Concreto” and “Era Tu,” it may strike some as mere background music (or, in the grand tradition of the Sea & Cake, music for college kids to make out to). Astute listeners, however, will understand the deep emotions in Golden Pollen, whether they understand the words or not. 3 stars