Luz De La Luna is the riveting new EP from Justin Garcia, a Jersey City-based artist whose instrumental rock sound spans delightfully from soothing jazz-touched introspection to soaring psychedelia passion. The EP serves as a follow-up to Garcia’s 2024 full-length De El Vacío, maintaining that release’s atmospheric rock intrigue while expanding it further — now further embracing a more sonically diverse palette of late-night saxophone infusions and Latin-inspired rhythms, alongside the consistently magnetic guitar work and enjoyably evolving song structures.
The EP excels in its combination of improvisation-forward creativity and memorable inspirations, notably drawing from “the spirit of bolero, cumbia, and Latin jazz.” Opening track “Duermete” eases into the sound with a darkened mystique, melding guitar twangs and forlorn strings into a series of consuming additions. A soaring guitar lead is the first to shine, and then woodwinds breathe further life into the track’s intoxicating soundscape. A final convergence of these instruments makes for a fantastic outro. The ensuing “Overgrown” continues that nocturnal feeling, with stellar saxophone playing joining with moody guitars to create a debonair, enthralling gem.
Another highlight arises in “Segunda,” where blaring organs and lively bass emit a gripping sense of anticipation — like riders traversing into a storm as the sunset begins to fade. That western-y, climactic drive eases cohesively into the subsequent “De Nuevo,” where organ and guitar interplay showcase gorgeous continuity and atmospheric allure. The gradual swelling of the organs bolsters the suave guitar tones with replay-inducing impact. Elsewhere, the EP’s title track plays as an excellent finale, creeping upward in emotion as quaint guitar twangs, somber strings, and twinkling piano move into a tour-de-force of a conclusion, where brass-y excellence and thunderous rhythms combine with invigorating effect. Justin Garcia’s Luz De La Luna is a fantastic journey of a listen, from start to finish.
