Recommended
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New State of Consciousness EP // Pfirter
I first became aware of Argentinean producer Juan Pablo Pfirter back in 2009 with his bizarre and haunting track ‘Mi Chica’, which featured as something of a centerpiece for Len Faki’s Berghain mix from the same year. Since then, Pfirter’s sound has matured considerably, and the name of his latest EP, ‘New State of Consciousness’ shouldn’t be taken lightly, as his sound is more focused and sophisticated than ever before.
The opening track of the same name spends no time messing around. The central motif presents itself immediately, growing and swelling amidst the swathes of noise that surround it. What is perhaps most intriguing about this track lies in its rhythm; beyond the hard, straight drum-machine patterns that ground it, there are strange and infectious rolls that keep just behind the beat, never seeming to ‘fit’ perfectly into the right place. This interplay of grooves creates an enormous amount of intrigue throughout the track, and keeps the listener coming back for more.
However, for me, it’s ‘Iteration’ that really steals the show on this EP. To put it crudely, Pfirter takes a minimal bundle of sinister notes, and lays them out neatly over some characteristically cacophonous techno sounds, reminiscent of Robert Hood’s early work or indeed some of the more recent Markus Suckut releases. It’s deceptively simple, and could have potentially only taken a few minutes to make. Nevertheless, make no mistake; to do so much with so little takes years of practice, and you can hear Pfirter’s commitment to production coming through on all of these tracks.
Closing the EP, ‘All You Need Is Volt’ is a wonky ride through analogue acid. The mangled shuffle beats dance around the mix, laying a shaky foundation for yet another eerie hook to draw the listener in and be hypnotized by its snake charmer-like seduction. Overall I think this EP has masses to offer, and I’m no doubt that its alluring peculiarities will keep me revisiting it again and again throughout the year.
- Published
- Aug 25, 2013
- Credits
- Words by Georgie_McVicar