Columbia’s underground resonates from every corner of Bogota’s hypnotic and dub techno artist Sinistermind with the release of “New Essentials / Unreleased 1.4” featuring 5 previously unreleased cuts which encompass the artist’s new application of production techniques and styles while still holding true to the authentic and passionate side of Sinistermind’s prior works.
Featuring deep, rhythmic, undulating sound design coupled with maliciously ethereal notes, Sinistermind has been a prolific member of pushing forward underground musical design in their own unique textures. Since 2020, Juan has been a purveyor of underground culture and musical inflections, focusing on deeper tonal qualities that inspire and evoke the memories of late nights, dark warehouses and venues, and large sound systems stacked in corners of the room.
Citing themself as having found their calling in the hypnotic take on techno in 2015, in the span of just 5 short years, they’ve found themselves releasing their first albums and have since been constantly at the cutting edge of productions and auditory creation. The tenure and knowledge since then comes to a fortuitous head in the recent self-release of “New Essentials / Unreleased 1.4” which delve deeper into new technical forms and approaches.
The 5 tracks across “New Essentials / Unreleased 1.4” showcases distinctly versatile selections of unreleased material by the Columbia-based sound engineer. “Ether” begins with distinctively tribal, heavy gut-punching kick lines alongside melancholy soundscapes that set the release off on the well attuned note of deep, dark dives into the mind.
This feeling is carried on in “Ask Me How” as a groove-laden edit with ominous synth stabs and pads dotting the background and foreground. “Blue Moon” begins to steer the release further towards the more malignant qualities of the producer’s auditory spectrum. With glitchy and haunting textures alongside the snappy hats, the track dives further into new environments not previously presented in the release.
Beginning the tail end of the album, “What it’s like to be down” brings about similar qualities as “Ask me how” while pushing the envelope a bit further into the aether of fervent elements. Finally, the release ends with “Percussion Tool 1”, giving a more upbeat swing comparative to the preceding selections but ending on a strongly versatile note.
“New Essentials / Unreleased 1.4” is a well thought out and meticulous combination of tactful engineering and intriguing qualities fit for any well refined ear.
-Colin Cook
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