Belgium was too small for Gabriel Rios. The singer wanted to spread his wings internationally and immediately put it high: he moved to New York. Yet the urban hectic does not resonate on this third album. For The Dangerous Return, Rios chose an unadorned approach. The electronic luggage, which featured many songs on predecessor Angelhead, remained in the closet. Rios wrote the songs on the acoustic
… guitar only. More than ever he listens to classical music and has found a sounding board in jazz pianist Jef Neve. You will hear that. In Dauphine's piano chords, for example, influences from minimal music ooze. Rios's music sounds more ambitious than ever, but he doesn't forget the pop song. First of all, there's his seductive voice and the wall-to-wall choruses do the rest. The singer is breaking new ground and that is commendable. We just have to wait and see how the fans he leaves behind in the Netherlands and Belgium react to this. (PdK)more