Comeme At Juno Download

Review: Since surfacing with a terrific debut EP for Matias Aguayo's Comeme imprint in 2009, Mexican maverick Rebolledo has been on a fast track to the top. This long awaited debut album expands on his peculiar but invigorating take on house and techno, offering up a selection of tracks that veer from the raw and brutal to the cute and cuddly. In between, there are collaborations aplenty (most notably with Superpitcher and many of his Comeme label mates), Mungolian Jetset-ish vocal outings, Krautrock-inspired weird-outs (check the hypnotic "Aire Calliente" and its two-minute beatless intro), a dash of dubbed-out South American synth pop and even a brutal electro-fisco workout inspired by a high profile US car brand. Deliciously bonkers.

Review: Four very different interpretations of house music prevail on Power. First up is Geffen, whose dubby, staccato drums, bursts of percussive noise and ominous bass provide the backdrop for a series of frequency-shifting tonal blips. Danny F opts for a different path on "Chalole Batata", where a pulsing bassline and heavy drums steer the arrangement into an ethnic chanting break down. Christian S's contribution is tracky and designed specifically for DJs; centring on rolling, insistent drums and mangled filters, its crashing cymbals enhance its impetus. Finally, the trio of Philipp Gorbachev, Hugo Capablanca and La Muerte deliver the deranged vocals and noisy voodoo groove of "Berlan Esta Helado" - which sounds like vintage Chicken Lips on acid.

Review: Comeme's latest release offers tripped out, psychedelic house at its finest. "Shake" by Cowboy Rhythmbox is like an update on 90s US house, its muscular drums, dubby bassline and percussive licks housing a strangely infectious call and response vocal. "Quiero Bailar" by Sano is built from similar elements - only this time it's a sassy, sexy Spanish vocal that's pitted against stirring strings and hammering drums. The title track, a collaboration between Capracara and The District Union, opts for a different approach, with a searing bass underpinning eerie synths and trippy 303 riffs. DJs Pareja's "Tacha" is in the same general category, with huge, whooshing filters and a pulsing, acid-layered bassline providing the impetus. Highly recommended.

Review: Alejandro Paz shows his quirky side on the diverse Free. The title track is a pulsing groove populated by percussive ticks and dramatic chord sweeps as well as soulful male claiming 'I wanna be free'. "New Guy In Town" is completely different, its slamming drums and tight bassline underpinning a boy meets girl call and response vocal duet in Spanish and English. On "Duro", Paz offers a more camp approach, with a daft vocal set to a slamming electro bass, while "Texit" sees him show his sensitive side. Over heavy claps, kettle drums and bleeding acid, an unnamed singer delivers an effortlessly breathy vocal performance.

Review: Hailing from Colombia, Sano injects some much needed, authentic Latin spirit into house music. "Disco Noche" is reminiscent of the pre-grainy bassline variant of electro house of the mid-00s, with coy drums combined with bursts of trippy synths. But Sano can't contain his South American heritage for long: "Bad Boys", with its wobbly bass and low slung rhythm is like the sonic equivalent of a shoot out at the OK coral. "En Negro" is just as depraved, with cowbells riding more eerie synth lines. However, the undisputed highlight is the title track, where a sassy repetitive Spanish vocal is fused with an acid line and a jacking Chi-town style rhythm.

Review: The South American New Wave revolution pioneered by Matias Aguayo's Comeme label continues apace, this time with an album from Mexican producer Daniel Maloso that is, fittingly, deeply rooted in new wave and EBM. While many of Maloso's contemporaries make music that sits somewhere between new wave and nu-disco, he's nailed his colours firmly to the new wave pop mast. The production is sparse and relatively steely, with forays into tougher EBM territory (see "Steady Rolling (All My Life)" and the excellent "Body Music) and funk-infused electronic disco-pop (superb opener "Shera"). While it's well produced, there's a DIY wonkiness that recalls the early days of '80s synth-pop.

Review: South American heroes DJs Pareja have been taking their time breaking through since Matias Aguayo picked up on them back in '09, but this forthright single for Comeme should see them score some fresh fans. Lead track "De La Cabeza" is a canny update on the electroclash scene with a grinding bassline dominating the mix but tweaked with a modern twist to avoid sounding too pastiche, while the duo's vocals come in as cold a tone as they could muster from their passionate Latino roots. "No Paren" finds them in a more aggressive rave mode, focusing on pounding drums and more jagged synth work in a track that would make for a great DJ tool as much as it stands strong on its own.

Review: It is doubtful that Gorbachev has anything to do with his Russian political namesake, but he still does a neat line in paranoia on "Where Is Rony Douglas". Over shaking percussion and a rattling, live-sounding rhythm, a call and response narrative ensues about the disappearance of said character and the suggestion that he was knocked off by the CIA. Gorbachev also voices his concerns about "Sweet Regina", about whom he informs us "went to China" as a low-slung electronic groove plays in the background. Returning briefly to the approach he favoured on "Rony Douglas", Gorbachev also drops the awkward punk funk of "Last Days of the District".

Review: This unpredictable label drops another four tracks worth of oddball, left of centre grooves. "Tunsten" is all over the place, featuring out of time drums and sped up, grinding riffs climaxing to the sound of mangled fog horns, before it finally sinks into an acid bath. The title track is less disturbed, with a tripped out synth bouncing around the sparse, hollowed out rhythm. "Stac" sees Barnt remain in off the wall mode: this time the drums are dissected and reconstructed, underscoring a brooding bassline. Finally, "Tunsten (Melopella)" offers a more contemplative take on Barnt's sound, its mournful, edgy synths reminiscent of early electronic music.

Review: Comeme is one of the most brilliantly unpredictable labels and Beating PC shows why it is held in such high esteem. "Puqui" unfolds with psychedelic chords drawn out over a low-slung groove, the synths veering into the realms of tripped out. The title track sees loose drums combined with a languid funk guitar, while there are further surprises on "Eat Me", where a dubbed out bassline and lost vocal intoning 'what are you doing here' is fused with dreamy synths. It's a similar situation on "Voy a Ver", where darker guitar riffs chimes in over a groovy disco rhythm. Maintaining its unpredictable edge, "Berberecho" is a faster, jacking affair with a rubbery bassline and squelchy bleeps.

Review: The wilfully eccentric pushes in a new direction with this compilation. It starts off with Carisma's "Muerte Instrumental", a stomping house affair with a heavy, acidic bass and noisy filtering, sounding like an acid rocker has decided to engineer himself some Chicago jack. Gladkazuka's "El Untitled" is an adventure in Terrence Fixmer-style techno, with grinding EBM basslines and a doomy sensibility prevailing, while Matias Aguayo's "El Transatlantio" is based on a humming bassline and insidious bleeps. Alejandro Paz restores some semblance of normality with "El House", a clap-heavy acid groove with typically nonsensical Spanish lyrics.