Fresko, aka Francisco Barahona, joins Nørbak’s NRBK label for an atmosphere-heavy and stone-cold jacking techno release on his most recent outing, the “Noite Infinita” EP.
For those still trying to keep up, Fresko has been in the eye of labels like Illegal Alien, Planet Rhythm, and Hayes Collective, from which he is considered a contemporary and ally in the Portuguese Techno Scene.
In just 2 short years, Fresko has demonstrated that he has a wealth of funky driving beats to spare and a flawless technique too. His ’23 Bravado EP off Planet Rhythm and the Hayes release “Inner Funk” both demonstrate a strong dedication to the faith of the funk and provide a backbone to jump off for experimentation. A certain type of funk where you can do no wrong; anything else on top of that is just a win.
Not a producer to sit on his laurels, Fresko has progressed with this latest “Noite Infinita” EP here, testing out a colder and more stern approach to his grooves. Still funky and heavy on the groove, but the restraint therein is much greater, making for a firm grip on the timing of the notes as evidenced on “1 p.m. Stutzig,” where a muted and grinding low mid bass is definitely out there to set your insides jiggling on a proper sound system. Along with that, we can hear some of the chopped vocal snippets for our mind to chew on in little sampled doses, and which is a further development for his earlier releases in 2023.
Maybe since Fresko’s sound is so tightly wrapped up in this groove as his bread and butter, it seems that in the title track “Noite Infinita,” he’s thrown out the bread entirely and just chosen to pound fist through the melted butter and see what it does, with tonal colors smeared across the plate with his fingers in a very funky and dripping manner, as if somehow never before experiencing this sensation. The sounds ooze like silly putty in their timing, and the pitches of all the sounds around are put through all manner of distortion and envelopes, in this stretching and ripping at the fabric of “what exactly is music anyway.” It’s a loose fit, we can agree, but this is certainly a very bold way to look at your process and do something that is unique, and to be honest, has little else to compare it to. IDM? No. Braindance? Not as neurotic. Experimental electronica? Too technical for that. Maybe something else entirely.
Rounding out the release is Nørbak’s collab “Flora,” which comes at you like a buddy tapping you on the shoulder, bringing you back to earth after you’ve been chasing butterflies in your mind for the last hour. From “Noite Infinita” to “Flora,” it brings you into a proper headspace as all good techno should. This time, it’s just a proper rinse out of a stern kick and bass foundation, while the atmospherics dictate the direction of flow and tension of the track. The grainy atmosphere… a telltale hallmark of the EP, is balanced really well with properly EQ’d and constrained rides and hats. Adding to it, there’s a very dope pitched or slowed sample of what one could guess would be tambourine bells that swell in opposite ways to the predominant tension pads in the track. If you’re not hearing these, go back in with some good headphones, because they are a very satisfying layer to listen to. The way that they are balanced and filtered is done supremely well. One of those elements you’ll hear layered in a DJ set and remember for a long time (track ID?). Certainly a massive and proper track for both of these heads.
We’re supposed to be wrapping up the review, but it seems like your author has been listening to the track “Flora” for the last twenty minutes on repeat. For Fresko’s timeline, it is another step in a series of strong developments as he stretches out some creative muscle on the “Noite Infinita” EP.
As a collaboration between Nørbak and Fresko, it’s a meeting of minds that has produced a powerful EP release and an even more powerful single with “Flora.” If you missed the release date, it’s definitely worth the pickup this week.
-Sean Ocean
Check out Dirty Epic music recommendations here.
Listen to our podcasts here.
Find out more about our Events here.
Listen to our review picks here.
