"A sonically complex trance inducer with panning instrumentation and pagan vibes, haunting synths and fear-inducing mythical susurration"
Verraco, the recent RA Podcast contributor, introduces Seph to the burgeoning Colombian/Medellin intelligent dance music axis. Since the first Insurgentes release in 2017, Verraco along with partner, Defuse, have been on the search to introduce Europeans and North Americans to a new uprising of Latin American dance music.
In the interview, Verraco proffered surprising maturity for a young guy: coherent and comprehensible commentary on the socio-political events in his own country and a capital city that have influenced his ideologies as well as his curation of Insurgentes.
The Q&A (and the track list) highlighted an affinity to brain-dance, IDM and non-conventional techno. References to Shed, Anthony Linell, Autechre, Gescom, Lee Gamble and Aphex Twin et al. exist through the mix and the label’s releases. Through acknowledging the background and passion for an alternative techno world, Seph’s ‘Tierra del Fuego‘ EP makes more sense.
Not much mind-numbing 4/4 to be heard, and although the attempted imitation of those producers is often akin to the pain of re-opening an old wound, there is something fresh stylistically about ‘Geomancer‘ – a sonically complex trance inducer with panning instrumentation and pagan vibes, haunting synths and fear-inducing mythical susurration.
‘Symbol‘ opens like a Nuel track that mutates into a dreamy 90’s club-friendly Autechre piece. This is not so much a DJ tool for the floor but is certainly indebted to the trippiness of the Northern Electronics crew. A scurrying celestial broken beat, accompanied by clicks, intergalactic bleeps, filtered effects and soft synths. ‘Ritual 34.6037°‘ chimerical excursion, is the closest thing to a club track; almost like a Modern Love era Claro Intelecto who went on a satanic camping trip in Patagonia and learnt how to programme panpipes.
Seph ends the expedition by settling with a Skam vibe on ‘Tierra del Fuego‘. A melancholic offering, again centring on the spiritual vibes of the earth and incorporeal shamanic techno that welcomes you into a new-wave of enchanting Latin American Electronica. Even though the eclectic 4 tracker never quite reaches the heights of the artists that have clearly inspired the Argentinian producer, he nonetheless delivers a refreshing update on a genre many fail to eclipse.
‘Tierra del Fuego’ is out now in vinyl and digital formats via Insurgentes. Order a copy from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
1. Geomancer
2. Ritual 34.6037°
3. Symbol
4. Tierra del Fuego
Discover more about Seph and Insurgentes on Inverted Audio.