Bassist Darin Gray and percussionist Glenn Kotche recorded their fourth album as On Fillmore in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2013. They worked with numerous musicians, including multi-instrumentalist Kassin (of the + 2 collective) and singer/songwriter Gabriela Riley, resulting in their most collaborative, wide-ranging release yet. Much more vibrant, colorful, and lively than their previous albums, Happiness of Living is an unpredictable melange of dislocated samba rhythms, cool vibraphones, blippy electronics, and the occasional discordant tape loop -- and that really only covers a fraction of what's going on here. A few vague points of comparison might be the uneasy avant-exotica of latter-day Mike Cooper or some of Arto Lindsay's solo work, but this really exists on its own plane. "Jornada Inteira" is an easy highlight, switching from racing, muscular drumming to fast Portuguese singing and indie rock guitar lines to complex, playful Zappa-like vibraphone and drum arrangements. "Cave Crickets" does, in fact, enhance an ethereal choir and nimble rhythm section with a backdrop of chirping crickets. "Bota Fogo" is a short, jarring piece for grainy, clattering tape loops. "Drums Equal Percussion" is a perception-challenging piece where the drums seem to go in and out of sync with themselves, and then they're joined by sputtering drum machines and synth sweeps. "Truta Samba" also walks the line between being tightly controlled and chaotic, with noise bursts and loose, clanging percussion over a thick, steady groove. "No Outro Lado" is much more unsettling, with rumbling, grinding percussion that brings to mind a struggle to escape from quicksand. Rich with ideas and spirit, the album is consistently surprising. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi

1		Pintado[null]
2		Ilusionismo da Arvore da Cerebraçao[null]
3		Jornada Inteira[null]
4		Cave Crickets[null]
5		Bota Fogo[null]
6		Espaço[null]
7		Drums Equal Percussion[null]
8		Truta Samba[null]
9		No Outro Lado[null]
10		Foli Ke[null]
11		Despidida Suspensa[null]