You guys — let me start this off right because Conclave isn't just an album; it changed a genuinely rough patch for me and that’s why this matters beyond any review. Back in June of 2022 I was walking to pick up my oldest from school, on a terrible day mentally — hot, depressed, angry at everything, drenched with sweat, feeling defeated — when the second track "Habla" kicked in through my headphones and something just shifted. As it hit me, I found myself actually smiling for the first time in what felt like forever while walking home. The record didn't fix my life or solve anything deep, but that afternoon on a hot NYC street with Conclave playing made everything feel lighter for a moment, which is exactly why it has been one of my go-to summer records ever since and why I want to tell you about this music.
Let me break down what makes it so special because Cesar Toribio's vision is genuinely impressive. He's Berklee-educated and the sole brain behind Conclave, blending Latin rhythms with funky synth bass in a way that feels like one continuous block party set rather than separate songs. "Habla" and "Perdón" capture that specific city energy — not beach or backyard summer vibes but the kind you feel on asphalt at sunset, playing dominoes on the sidewalk. The track list is packed: "Take Heed (Nu Sunlight)" fuses jazz and salsa with house influences; "Alati Yeye Chege" carries its own vibe too; P-Funk bass lines writhe through almost every song; and the guitar on "Rise (Interlude)" directly evokes Prince's slow, epic melody work from a distant Purple Rain. The electric piano stabs at the end of "Rise" even bleed into minimal techno wubs — it shows how much Toribio studied these different genres before fusing them all together perfectly.
If any of you need some something to refresh your headphones this summer go find it, because this album is one of those few things that truly works as a cohesive experience rather than just a collection of songs. You can grab the full self-titled debut on Bandcamp or stream it anywhere — Spotify and Apple Music are obviously there but they also carry YouTube Music, Qobuz and Deezer for anyone who wants to hear every nuance in Toribio's production. It is one album that I will keep returning to because of what it did for me during a bad stretch and whatever your own story is this record has the capacity to help you feel lighter too. Go listen — seriously, put on "Habla" first and tell me if not smiling by track two isn't possible.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/949621/conclave-nyc-summer-block-party-album-review
Let me break down what makes it so special because Cesar Toribio's vision is genuinely impressive. He's Berklee-educated and the sole brain behind Conclave, blending Latin rhythms with funky synth bass in a way that feels like one continuous block party set rather than separate songs. "Habla" and "Perdón" capture that specific city energy — not beach or backyard summer vibes but the kind you feel on asphalt at sunset, playing dominoes on the sidewalk. The track list is packed: "Take Heed (Nu Sunlight)" fuses jazz and salsa with house influences; "Alati Yeye Chege" carries its own vibe too; P-Funk bass lines writhe through almost every song; and the guitar on "Rise (Interlude)" directly evokes Prince's slow, epic melody work from a distant Purple Rain. The electric piano stabs at the end of "Rise" even bleed into minimal techno wubs — it shows how much Toribio studied these different genres before fusing them all together perfectly.
If any of you need some something to refresh your headphones this summer go find it, because this album is one of those few things that truly works as a cohesive experience rather than just a collection of songs. You can grab the full self-titled debut on Bandcamp or stream it anywhere — Spotify and Apple Music are obviously there but they also carry YouTube Music, Qobuz and Deezer for anyone who wants to hear every nuance in Toribio's production. It is one album that I will keep returning to because of what it did for me during a bad stretch and whatever your own story is this record has the capacity to help you feel lighter too. Go listen — seriously, put on "Habla" first and tell me if not smiling by track two isn't possible.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/949621/conclave-nyc-summer-block-party-album-review