En Canícula" is in its essence, a melancholic memory from the summer’s heat, in first contact with the continental oppression. The mediterranean emo moments, lonely. The wandering along lost paths in lands dressed with mist. And the love without possible address, surely far away.
The EP begins with "Tú No Tienes Corazón" (You Don’t Have a Heart) a high-energy introduction, towards the infatuation of dancing recalled in humid, smoke-filled places. Propelled by hypnotic motifs, ironic vocal chops, solid 909 accents, a steady offbeat bass, and bathed occasionally in beauty: with arpeggiated synth, or washed out supersaw mantles. A piece of jester euphoria, hypnotic, hard, with a trance ending. Made of sounds belonging to the harbors: the exchange, the bizarre possibility of making money, not sleeping, the moon, the waves, bathing suits, the beach.
It continues with “Mazamorrita”. Here, ambient 90’s strings hold a tension, while in the distances, low resolution thunder follows. The instruments try different pitches, trying to anchor in a permanent harmony, not quite finding the feeling. Close to pleasure, they risk not getting there. Meanwhile, the rhythm grows in complexity; weaving in sounds from the southern countryside, synthesized woody tones and liquid metals. With no violence, a levitating breakbeat begins and makes everything soar. A supersaw puts the cherry on top, and the piece is already gone, like a slow wave at sunset.
The third track “Iniciales B. B” (Initials B. B) is constructed upon a gentle melody repeated by a scathing, overflowing hard-trance synth. A melody that disavows an emotion while insisting on it. Punctuated by persistent gabber kicks, the melody becomes distressing in its ability to be felt at different speeds. Adorned by sighs, countermelodies, and fragile fragments, the track expresses a sense of frustration that flows as a context of danger.
The last track, “Marina” looks into ambient moments, taking form from a warm, aqueous atmosphere that little by little begins to stagger. A current made up of watery sounds, throats and liquid, bubbles, creatures from the sea, flies bathing themselves, boats by the lavender colored sea, oceanic currents, rubbed soap, mosquitoes full of blood, pollen floating in the air. The feeling of being submerged is inescapable, and listening feels like being under the surface of a liquid touched by the sun. The variations within the track move like currents. The beauty is surrendering to them, and letting go.
- ‘En Canícula’ is a re-proposal of sentiments far from infancy, as a payment of a debt with myself. Being under the sky of the ‘Canícula’ helps me understand the passing of time. I accept a metric punctuated by summer: including one that finishes, and a future one that’ll come. The northern sky is the space where this music lives and marries in mortal fumes. I hold everything together only by emotion. In choosing my sounds I always ask myself: Then I try to navigate tenderly. I like feeling everything, also suffering. I know that no matter everything, it remains a choice. But if the first time I had to face the dissociating context of Europe I chose so many times to go through the storm myself, instead of letting the storm pass over me, I wouldn’t want to do it again. I want to mature. This tracks are for me already long known friends, and I come back to feel again, the bodies and the memories, the dissonances and the possibilities.
Produced between April and September 2023.
Photography by Esteban Vargas Roa.
Text edition by Luca Robino.
