Branam presents “Zelda,” his latest song

“Hard rock, but always melodic,” is how Branam defines itself, a Dominican band that started its activity in 2012 and works hard to promote the rock scene in its country. The group originally hails from the city of Santiago, in the northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and their first published recordings date back to 2015.

Throughout these years, the maturity that experience on stages and recording studios has given them has become evident. Their voice has become more solid and powerful, able to convey greater security and power.

The best example of this development is their latest song, “Zelda,” which begins to create an atmosphere that moves between the interesting and the strange, amid a sound that evokes the Middle East. When the whole band comes on, it sounds reminiscent of Led Zeppelin and “Kashmir,” the page-and-plant classic inspired by this part of the planet. “Zelda” is a masterful, complex and captivating song that grows as you listen to it over and over again. Each new opportunity helps us discover the layers and arrangements that enrich them.

The video for this song marks a big step in Pranam’s visual work. Directed by singer and guitarist Karim Lopez, with choreography by prominent Dominican actor Nelson Mata, it is close to experimental video art, and goes far beyond generic audiovisual rock music. “For me, the video looks like they saw us going crazy very subtly,” says bassist Julio Fernandez.

Pranam also consists of Raul Castillo on guitar and Kaunapo Jaquez on drums, sequences and choruses. The Dominican band has taken rock and roll to some of the most important stages and events in their country, such as Mass Destruction, OktoberFest, La Fiesta de la Música and the International Festival Latinos Sin Fronteras 2021. Their songs have been played on the radio. Stations in countries such as Mexico, the United States, Colombia, Spain, Panama and Argentina. In February 2020, “No Se Podemos Ver” was nominated for Best Hard Rock Song for the first edition of the Dominican Independent Awards.

After singles like “LXIX”, “Can”, “No se puede ver” and “Tiempos”, with “Zelda” the group seeks to continue opening paths for their ground rock, which has always been linked to other genres of music. It feels like a melting pot of music from almost every corner of the planet. They know it’s a long way to go, but they’ve been taking very good steps for some time.