Chicago indie rockers Divino Niño make languid music that’s far from lazy. On their new debut album, Foam (Winspear), they perform their relaxed songs with energetic precision, landing on crucial notes like exclamation points without disrupting the laid-back mood. But don’t let the vibes fool you: these guys are perfectionists. According to singer-guitarist Camilo Medina, Divino Niño scrapped three different attempts at a debut album before finally recording Foam, which they’re celebrating with this release show. Chill styles of rock seem to be en vogue with half the city’s newer indie bands, but Divino Niño’s attention to detail and love of exploration make them stand out. On Foam those tendencies come out in their use of chintzy looped drum machine (“Flamingo”), tasteful splashes of shoegaze guitar (“Coca-Cola”), and light disco touches (“Melty Caramelo”). Medina and bassist-vocalist Javier Forero were born in Bogotá, Colombia, and Latin American musical touches crop up throughout the album, most notably on the woebegone, sweetly solemn Spanish-language single “Maria.” Led by that tender track, Foam cements Divino Niño’s place as bright stars in the firmament of Chicago indie rock. v
Divino Niño cement their position as Chicago rock darlings with their debut album, Foam
