Reptilectric
Perhaps the most successful band to emerge from Mexico City's bourgeoning rock scene, Zoé will release its fourth album, Reptilectric. Recorded with longtime producer Phil Vinall at the controls, Reptilectric is at once brash and tender, psychedelic and anthemic.
Upon its November release, Reptilectric debuted at the top of the Mexican pop albums chart and quickly earned gold certification. The Mexican press greeted Reptiletric with glowing accolades. The Mexican edition of Rolling Stone awarded the disc 4 ½ stars (of 5), calling it "one of the year's best albums." One can hear in Reptilectric the mark of Zoé's longtime producer, Phil Vinall, whose work with Radiohead, Pulp, Elastica and Placebo initially caught the group's attention early in their career together. Zoé invited Vinall to mix its self-titled 2001 debut album, and the band has placed its complete trust in the British producer ever since. "This album has his touch, 100%," says bassist Angel Mosqueda. "He has been our guru in many senses." Reptilectric's scope is captured in its title track, a David Bowie-inspired space oddity with driving guitars and ethereal vocals. Zoé continues to show its range throughout the album--from the dancefloor-friendly "Ultimos Dias" to the new-wave psychedelia of "No Hay Dolor."
Zoé formed in Mexico City in 1995, sharing a passion for the music of the Beatles, Placebo, The Cure and The Stone Roses. The band's 2001 debut helped create a loyal fan base that would grow exponentially with Zoé's 2003 album Rocanlover. The band began combining acoustic melodies with electronic textures, creating music that ranged from subtle to soaring. Vinall produced Zoé's 2006's Memo Rex Commander y el Corazon Atómico de la Via Lactea (Memo Rex Commander and the Atomic Heart of the Milky Way) which quickly went platinum and earned Zoé prominent billing at Latin music festivals including Vive Latini and Creamfields. Memo Rex... was also Zoé's first album to be released in the U.S.