Animals as Leaders Guitarist’s Mestis Side Project Releases New Jam “Pura Vida”

Animals as Leaders guitarist Javier Reyes released a fantastic solo debut in 2012 under the name Mestis. The five-track EP, Basal Ganglia, showcased a different side of Reyes’ playing and allowed him to stretch out in ways he can’t with AAL.

So I’m very happy to learn that Mestis will release their first full-length, Polysemy, November 6th via Sumerian Records. Teaming up with Reyes once again is AAL drummer Matt Garstka, Calle 13 percussionist Hector Barez and trombonist David Stout, who has played with Marvin Gaye.

The group just released a new song called “Pura Vida,” and it’s awesome. My first reaction is to think this album is gonna be way more rock-based than Basal Ganglia, but a trailer for Polysemy posted earlier in the week makes it seem as if the album will have plenty of chill vibes too. Check ’em both out below. The track features guitarists Erick Hansel and Mario Camarena of Chon.

“Polysemy,” in case you’re wondering, means “the coexistence of many possible meanings for a word or phrase.”