A collection of thoughtful and moving acoustic/electric guitar pieces (with some electroacoustic processing and microtonal tunings) from Brazil’s George Christian Vilela Pereira, “aos rios urbanos” (to the urban rivers) is a meditative reflection on the flow of life and our desire to form a more whole consciousness.

"...The album is inspired by the movements of the urban rivers and the flow in during life-time. The first two tracks are created by acoustic guitar and are beautiful improvisations which gives a meditative mood. The combination of the fine melodies and the touch-full use of effects make these compositions to well-balanced pieces of guitar music. The third track disturbs the silent mood with distorted guitar chords and dissonant melodies. The peacefulness return by again an acoustic track with a lot of reverb and echo effects. The album is about life, the elements of life, the destruction of life, the exchange between nature and culture and between life on earth and the cosmic. The fifth track is created by piano samplers, slide guitar and electronic generated tones. This track is like a journey to the inner-self or to the outer space. The album ends with the track called “Aborted Cry” and that is what it is. A screaming guitar built up his anger and stops without any warning. George Christian makes a big step forward in his musical career and this concept album is effective. " - Vital Weekly
www.vitalweekly.net/913.html

Introduction by George Christian:

"Aos Rios Urbanos" (2013) is my eighth work released, but I consider it to be my true second album, of greater length and density, succeeding "Prelúdio Tardio" (2010). Why? "Às Vezes Sempre" (2010) is actually an EP; "Three Dimensions of Unrecognizable Reaches" (2011) and "Some Instrumental Pieces for Guitar & Other Instruments" (2011) had a clear compilation character, each in its own way, with no major pretensions regarding the format of an album. Not counting the works in partnership with other artists, "Aos Rios Urbanos" can be seen as a fully realized solo album.

About the concept of the work, I wrote the following in the original booklet:

"This is an album about crossing the rivers of our lives; the union, the walk, the farewell, the transformations, the resurrections and the cries for the struggles of an existential awakening. However, even though we come from nature, we are beings that we can alienate our own existence to the point of destroying the lives of others and our own cosmic and natural condition. With the music on this album, we want to propose a manifesto for the awareness of life, much more than the deconstruction of sound paradigms. A new silence for memory of human rivers. And urban ones."

Looking back, I think this was the job that definitely put me on the sound map of independent music online. In large part, I owe much to the incredible and generous work of Bruce Hamilton (Spectropol Records), not only in the promotion, but also in the physical release. The mastering of the original edition was done by Leo Moura, Sapeaçu's radio host friend. However, with the exception of the more electric tracks, I have never been fully satisfied with the recording I made myself. At the time, I used a desktop PC microphone. The capacity of this condenser was considerably generous for Lo-Fi work. However, it wasn't ideal. I hope this reissue brings not only a renewed interest in this work, which I hold to be of great importance to my career, but also a reinvigorated hearing of its sonic quality with the remastering I have endeavored to make.

And why do I say this was the job that put me on the map? Because I was able to reconcile my acoustic and electrical aspects well in it. And this is a work that had a really positive reception both from the public (people who came to know me) and also from specialized critics.

As noted by Swedish critic Stephen Fruitman (Avant-Music News, avantmusicnews.com/2015/06/20/amn-reviews-george-christian-aos-rios-urbanos-spectropol-records/): "When storytelling, George Christian of Bahia, Brazil, cradles an acoustic guitar. (...) When Christian wields his electric guitar, as on “Resurrection”, it truly becomes an axe, an extension of ineffability, perhaps the 'screaming…struggles of existential awakening' mentioned in his liner notes."
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Album produced, composed and produced by George Christian Vilela Pereira between 2012-2013. Recording software: Ableton Live 8.0 and Adobe Audition c5.5. Recorded at home via Force Line computer microphone; except on track 6: Lexsen SM-580A microphone. Equipment used: Hofma YE-220 guitar, Zoom 505-II pedalboard, Crusher (BBE) and Fuzz (Axcess/ Giannini) pedals.

George Christian: acoustic and electrified guitar, electroacoustic arrangements.

Track 4: Piano samplers taken from the piece «Sadness of '05" composed by Kyland Holmes .

Mixing, pre-mastering and remastering for the 2023 edition: George Christian.

Mastering (2013): Leo Moura, except tracks 3 and 6, by Leo Moura and George Christian.

Photos: Davi Cerqueira, on the banks of the Sapata River in February 2013.

Design: George Christian

Recording details, track-by-track:

1. Acoustic guitar with echo and reverb effects in the mix. Tuning: Eb Bb Eb A< Bb Eb. Capo at 5th fret. Recorded in April 22, 2022.
2. Acoustic guitar with delay effects. Tuning: D A D F B F>. Recorded in March 17, 2012. Final excerpt on electronic tremolos - courtesy of Leo Moura.
3. Acoustic guitar with echo and reverb effects in the mix. Tuning: D A D< F< B< E<. Recorded in March 18, 2012.
4. Conceived with piano samplers, electrified pedalboard slide guitar and tone generator. Prepared between April and May 2012.
5 and 9. Electric guitar with pedals (pvy distortion, crusher and reverb). Tuning: C G C^ G^ C> Eb. Recorded in November 18, 2012.
6. Electric guitar with pedals (echo violin and fuzz). Tuning: C G C G C F. Recorded March 16, 2013.
7 and 8. Acoustic guitar with post-mix effects. Recorded March 10, 2013.

Note: ^ = +1/4 tone; > = +1/6 tone; < = -1/6 of a tone.