Style: Progressive rock (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Riverside, The Pineapple Thief, The Gathering, Subsignal
Country: Colombia
Release date: 10 April 2026

---

I like to play my music library on shuffle when driving, but I’m a capricious listener who spends half his time skipping songs to find ones that fit the vibe. If it’s a cold morning, I’ll probably want some moody prog death—Wilderun or perhaps Opeth—whereas on a warm afternoon my finger ceases pressing ⏭ when a track with a reliable beat appears; maybe Frost* or Magdalena Bay. Sometimes, when reviewing, you can instantly categorise an album into the kind of weather-dependent mood it’ll fulfill on the car aux.  

So which vibe will Argovia fit? Rooted in a more reined-in, alt-rock-coded type of prog, the Colombian quartet centre a strong keyboard foundation and a noteworthy bass performance with driving rhythms and the soulful performance of frontwoman Ani Guillén. Primal Repetition showcases a collection of relatively short songs oriented around lighters-in-the-air choruses and nuanced playing, giving way to more indulgent instrumental sections which allow the band to flex their muscles.

Carlos Arminio’s keyboard work is crucial in bestowing identity to each track, be it overtly, as with his centrepiece synth solos (“Lethean Light”, “Isol_AI_tion”, “Spark”), or more covertly with restrained piano chords and backing ambiences throughout. Guillén provides the hooks with her dependable delivery, bittersweet and mellifluous. Rounding out the band, Nicolás Paredes on bass and Mauricio Sanabria on drums supply a tight rhythm section. Paredes in particular includes some bass work more rooted in funk and Latin music traditions, conferring a unique texture on tracks like “Mountains” and “Unstoppable”.

Perhaps Argovia’s greatest asset is their effortlessly tight sense of composition. Take the well thought out composition of vocal melodies on “Ebb & Flow”, which features a guest performance from Ross Jennings (Haken) who solos, duets, backs-up and interweaves with Guillén effortlessly. Or “Unstoppable” which showcases an almost Affinity-era Haken sense of syncopation and synth layering, with breathless semi-spoken vocal lines and pulsating synth swells. And then there’s “Alas de Sal”, the only Spanish track on the album which features guest performances from Boca de Serpiente and some Latin guitar, but with whammy pedal shenanigans to maintain its rock credentials. You could dissect more or less any track on the album this way and find a concerted sense to build each song’s identity.

At the same time, the tracks are nevertheless relatively formulaic, all following traditional verse-chorus structures with instrumental bridges. Guillén is a charismatic frontwoman, but she holds back a little, sticking to safe melodies when you can’t help but feel she could really belt out some impressive vocal acrobatics if she wanted. Or, to put it another way, Argovia are consistently very satisfying to listen to, but they rarely wow you with standout moments. That’s no bad thing, and a musical foundation as solid as that found on Primal Repetition is something easily built on as the band continue to develop. 

Even if it doesn’t blow you away, it’s hard not to be won over by Primal Repetition’s consistent listenability and deft sense of groove. With a collection of great compositions and resourceful playing, Argovia have successfully cultivated a vibe; the kind you reach for when the windows are down, the sunglasses on, and the car cruises up the sliproad to join the highway, heading for a destination unknown with the promise of a reliable soundtrack in tow. 

---

Recommended tracks: Mountains, Alas de Sal, Unstoppable
You may also like: Exploring Birdsong, Delta
Final verdict: 7/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Instagram

Label: Presagio Records

Argovia is:
– Ani Guillén (vocals, guitar, percussion)
– Carlos Arminio (keyboards, backing vocals) 
– Nicolás Paredes (bass)
– Mauricio Sanabria (drums)

With guests:
– Ross Jennings (vocals)
– Juan Carlos Marín (vocals)
– Juan Francisco Arminio (harmonica)