Seph :: Fiera (Insurgentes)

After the success of Séptimo Sentido in 2024, I was eager to hear what Seph would deliver next. His latest release, Fiera, arrived sooner than expected—but rather than presenting a new creative direction, it offers a glimpse into earlier material from his vault. Naturally, I was curious to see how this project would compare.

Refined sounds, uneven structures

I finally got around to listening to Fiera. Since last year, I had been patiently waiting for a new Seph album, and truth be told, I wasn’t expecting one to come out just a year later. Séptimo Sentido (Lapsus)was unquestionably one of my favorite records of 2024, so I was curious to see where Seph would take things next.

However, Fiera doesn’t consist of freshly picked material. This album—or at least parts of it—came to life in 2022, three years ago, and is now being presented as ready to be shown to the world. I’m not sure whether it was composed and recorded before Séptimo Sentido, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was arranged earlier. Still, none of these tunes sound like B-sides from that LP. The stylistic approach here is quite different. On Fiera, Seph sets aside the vintage IDM aesthetics and breakbeat rhythms to instead embrace more mechanical and heavier styles. It’s not rare to find dabs of UK bass throughout.

The production is pretty great. Everything sounds clear and smooth, and when there’s a need for heavier kicks, the music doesn’t disappoint. Where I find myself disengaged, though, is with the structure of the tracks. The rhythms—which form their foundation—don’t develop much. That wouldn’t be a big issue if the melodic or atmospheric layers drove the music forward, but even those remain fairly static. As a result, most tracks are still enjoyable, but they feel more like sketches than fully realized compositions.

Bass-driven soundscapes with glimpses of brilliance ::

That said, there are a few tracks that really stand out. The opening ambient piece, “Ígnea SXP21,” is my favorite. It fuses a dub-inspired backdrop with bright, futuristic synths, creating a unique and immersive atmosphere. The tail end of the album is also strong. “Ráfagas” and “Anti-Debug” are particularly satisfying—the former reintroduces dub echoes and ethereal synths over an enthralling beat, while the latter features one of the most intricate rhythm sections on the album, constantly mutating, stripping down, and rebuilding into denser grooves. “Renew” also deserves mention, winning the prize for the best kick on the record.

The rest, however, doesn’t convince me much. There’s nothing I actively dislike, but there’s also little that stays with me. Tracks tend to blend together and lack defining moments, even if I enjoy them while they’re on. Maybe it’s the fact that this material isn’t completely new that makes it feel less impactful, or maybe it just wasn’t the strongest selection from what Seph had in his vault. Either way, I’m confident he still has great things ahead. As for Fiera, it’s alright—but it doesn’t quite showcase the level of detail and refinement Seph has already proven himself capable of.

Fiera is available on Insurgentes. [Bandcamp]