Rodrigo Y Gabriela - In Between Thoughts​.​.​. A New World (LP) - Bone White Vinyl

Rodrigo y Gabriela’s In Between Thoughts... A New World lands with the calm confidence of artists who know exactly what they’re about, then decide to redraw the map anyway. Released in April 2023, it follows the duo’s Grammy-winning Mettavolution and leans into a broader palette without losing the spark that made their two acoustic guitars feel like a whole band in the first place. You still get Gabriela’s ferocious rhythmic engine and Rodrigo’s lyrical lead lines, but now there are shadowy strings, low synth pulses and atmospheric layers that push the music into widescreen territory.

The record’s spiritual thread gives the whole set a sense of inner focus. The pair have spoken about nondual themes guiding the writing, and you can hear that search for stillness under the surface even when the tempos bite. “Descending to Nowhere,” a lead single, builds like a storm, shifting from lattice‑tight picking into a rugged, cinematic swell that never feels overcooked. “Egoland” bites harder, all tense accents and quicksilver runs, the kind of track that makes you unconsciously drum the cafe table with your fingertips. Both pieces manage a neat trick: they sound bigger than anything the duo have done, yet every new colour feels there to serve the guitars, not smother them.

What really impresses is the architecture of the record. Rodrigo y Gabriela have always been masters of dynamics, snapping from whisper to roar with a flick of the wrist, but here the crescendos feel more patiently earned. A gentle figure will circle for a minute, Gabriela’s palm-muted thumps turning the body of her guitar into a kick drum, then a faint string drone slips in and you realise the tune has stretched into something closer to a film score. It never tips into bombast. The pair know when to leave air between notes, and that restraint lets the melodies breathe.

There are moments that nod to their early days busking and playing metal-influenced leads in Mexico City, then in Dublin. Rodrigo’s tremolo flurries still flash like sunlight on water, and Gabriela’s right hand remains a marvel of control and power. Long-time fans will recognise the percussive heel-of-hand hits, the quick hammer-ons that make the guitar sing like a small chorus. The new textures just widen the horizon. A mournful string figure might echo a melody Rodrigo started on nylon, while a low electronic throb quietly lifts the floor under Gabriela’s groove. It feels like an expansion of their language rather than a translation.

Critical response greeted the shift with interest, and it makes sense. After the Grammy for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 2020, they could have doubled down on a proven formula. Instead they chased mood and motion, and the gamble pays off. The sequencing is tight, the pacing thoughtful, and the playing as sharp as ever. If you’ve seen them live, you’ll recognise the same flair for drama that has packed theatres from Mexico to Europe to Australia. These tunes practically beg to be stretched on stage.

On vinyl the record really blooms. The attack of Gabriela’s strums has more grain, the low end of the auxiliary parts sits deeper, and the guitars sit forward in the room like old friends. If you are hunting for Rodrigo y Gabriela vinyl, this one deserves a spot next to 9 Dead Alive and Mettavolution. The In Between Thoughts... A New World vinyl pressing brings out the warmth of those nylon strings and the subtlety of the arrangements, especially at night with the volume nudged up a touch.

For anyone who shops like I do, flicking through crates at a Melbourne record store or scrolling late for vinyl records Australia wide, consider this your nudge. If you want to buy Rodrigo y Gabriela records online, this album is an easy recommendation, and a great entry point for newcomers. It shows what the duo do best, then opens a door to somewhere new. And if you already love Rodrigo y Gabriela albums on vinyl, you’ll appreciate how this one captures their evolving voice without losing the pulse that first turned heads on street corners and festival stages. It is thoughtful, muscular and quietly moving, the sound of two musicians finding a bigger canvas and painting with care.