Progressive rock in the grand UK tradition, Absorbed by the Forest introduces Austin to its Peruvian Montoya brothers. Hallucinant Telepherique gets it right on its debut platter. Dominated by multi-instrumentalist Sergio, the duo emphasizes songcraft over flashy technique. “Pishtaku” and “The Main Hall” let analog synthesizers and tuneful guitar figures drive the sweeping arrangements forward over Sergio’s one-man rhythm section. The two-part “Unobserved” (one on each side) goes for the epic jugular, part one climbing the mountain and part two rolling back down. The wordless Absorbed by the Forest avoids pretentiousness by letting melodies do the talking.

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This article appears in February 26 • 2016.

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Michael Toland started writing about music in 1988 on the Gulf Coast, moved to Austin in early 1991, and has inflicted bylines upon the corporeal and digital pages of Pop Culture Press, The Big Takeover, Blurt, Amplifier, Austin.citysearch, the Austin American Statesman, Goldmine, Sleazegrinder, Rock & Roll Globe, High Bias, FHT Music Notes, and, since 2011, The Austin Chronicle.