Local Review: Los Vii – Ephemera

Los Vii
Ephemera

La Vida Mata
Street: 07.02
Los Vii = HOMESHAKE + Mac DeMarco + Tame Impala

If you are looking to escape into the ocean, if your eyes want to open to sunlight so glaring you see shapes or if your body wants to float and sink through buoyant water as the deepening light entwines all the colors you create—lie in your bed, close your eyes and listen to Los Vii’s EP Ephemera with headphones. Los Vii, also known as Carlos Viitanen, is a Spanish-born, Utah-based musician with an established position in marketing on the side. Despite having a full-time job, Los Vii has released eight singles and two EPs since 2019—writing, performing and producing all his own work. His latest release perpetuates his niche style, which is “take a trip through your ears.”

The first track on the EP, “Nights,” belongs to the dreamstate. A HOMESHAKE-style guitar gives way to a casual chord progression to kick off the collection. Viitanen’s voice sneaks in with the clicking of a cymbal that holds the song together like loose laces on your favorite sneakers. “Southern Winter” brings an upbeat tempo into the mix while the haunted echoes of Viitanen’s voice drape over the catchy guitar line. If Ephemera is a series of dreams, this one isn’t quite a nightmare, but there’s something off—something that follows you after you wake up and get your coffee, lingering near your desk. Electric guitar cuts into the second half, giving the song a rough edge new to Los Vii. While lyrics are not the primary attraction to his music, the repetition of “West Coast summer day” and “I’m all about the sunshine in my eyes” paired with ocean imagery piggyback the album cover and effortlessly place the listener on a sunny West Coast beach.

The EP’s title track brings us to Viitanen’s roots in Spain with an upbeat guitar riff and muffled Spanish lyrics. The nostalgic tone embodies Ephemera through minor chords and repetition of the phrase “summer is over.” “I Won’t Let Go” brings in a synthy, drummy Tame Impala sound. This tone is a fan favorite in alternative music, so it’s no surprise this is the most popular track on the EP. The electric guitar break makes it easy to tell that Los Vii is a true music lover—I can almost picture him jamming out as he records it. The song ends mid-strum, cutting into “Nights (Sunday’s Version),” essentially an acoustic, raw version of the first track. It’s more honest than the polished rendition, and the clarity of the lyrics make it easy to relate. While each version of “Nights” has its attraction, “Sunday’s Version” has an unfiltered quality that rings as authenticity.

Los Vii’s Ephemera shows listeners that the artist is willing to challenge himself musically, lyrically and production-wise, while maintaining the laidback, psychedelic sound his music has always had. As a talented multi-instrumentalist, I would have loved to see some of the organ showcased on O I Long To Feel Your Arms Around Me present here. Organ, however, doesn’t attach to the West Coast beach vibe Viitanen creates on this album, which is likely why he kept his distance. This EP creates a beach day where time melts into itself and the day is over far sooner than you hoped, truly embodying the meaning of Ephemera. –Harper Booth