Geographic Ascending is an outing in spirit lifting music, layered complexity with a sound that re-affirms the warmth that can be formed with real synthesizers and drum machines.
Electronic music in Spain can easily be overlooked. The Iberian peninsula has been consumed by “hands in the air to whoever” at the likes of Sonar in Barcelona, the middle grounding of the Ibiza holiday to a more acceptable location. The Sun and Sangria, and now Shuttershades, image is a Club Med hangover. Once you scratch the surface, look beyond the facebook and twitter feed, you can unearth a wealth of quality. Vagon Brei, Casual Violence, Synth Alien and Arcanoid are some artists pushing the electronic envelope. One Madrid denizen is painting a new vision of electronics in Iberia. From behind the decks DJ F, aka Flavio Tortora aka Ideograma, has been delivering quality Electro, Techno and House to those daring to enter the realm of underground. Since 2008 F has been behind the hardware, serving up emotion filled machine music on labels like Semántica, Titan’s Halo and Freebeat. For his latest the Madrilleno stays in his hometown, hooking up with Frigio Records for Geographic Ascending.
A forceful, saturated, snare introduces “Buenos Aires.” Synths slowly swirl, Tortora building melodies above steady rhythms. Warbling chords and gentle tones are unveiled as a swimming medley of sound materializes, one akin to the Techno of Stasis or early B12. The modern drum programming that characterized “Buenos Aires” is again present in “Medusa Moon.” F compresses beats, squeezing them just enough to extract some light crunch, before draping a superbly deep melody over a bed of glacial bass. The track is warm, late evening Electronica; soulful hardware harmonics. Darkness and light are interwoven for “Madrid.” Beats are little crushed; heavy snares and well-built bass are juxtaposed by fragile bars understated movements. Those glitch moments of “Madrid” are further explored in “Phobos.” Rhythms are originally scattered, but F reins them in for a fantastic closer. Lush chords soon descend and a clarifying calm ensues. Emotive electronics for the curtain fall.
Madrid is a curious place when it comes to Electronics. I’ve been living in the Spanish capital for a year now and at first one could easily be mistaken for thinking there is a lack of interest. But begin to look and not only will you find a hive of synthesizer activity, you’ll also discover some truly talented artists pioneering computer music in the far West of Europe. Ideograma is one of those home-grown talents. Whereas many have turned to minimalism, Ideograma has stayed true to the early sounds of Techno whilst allowing a touch of Electronica to enter. Geographic Ascending is an outing in spirit lifting music, layered complexity with a sound that re-affirms the warmth that can be formed with real synthesizers and drum machines.
Geographic Ascending is available on Frigio. [Release page]
