Yonlu

"Yonlu" was a Brazilian teenager who killed himself in his bathroom. He left a note for his parents telling them to listen to his music whenever they missed him. This album is constructed mostly of songs his parents found on his computer after his death.His music is a cut-and-paste indie pop and folk that's influenced by his country's Tropicalia movement of the late '60s and early '70s. If you're listening to the track above, you've already figured out that this stuff is eerily reminiscent of "Elliott Smith"--and we all know how that one ended.The track "Boy and the Bear," in contrast, starts out slow and creepy. But you'll find yourself totally thrown off when at 2:20, "Yonlu" twists himself into something along the lines of rap. From there on out, it's free game. For a sixteen year old, this guy was no doubt ahead of his peers. It's a pity he had to cut his life short--and an interesting life it was! Real name Vinicius Gageiro Marques, he grew up in France, moved to Brazil, learned English by watching TV, and became popular in an internet suicide forum.His lyrics are poetical nonsense, his melodies melancholy, and his approach experimental. If you're looking for a new twist on something perhaps familiar ("Elliott Smith", in particular), I'd get your hands on this album.