Alex Under has been dominating the harder end of the Spanish techno scene in recent years, his taut, kinetic productions gracing the discographies of Trapez, Apnea and Cmyk. “Azul Terio,” just his second release proper for 2008, finds Under in top form with three straight up floor cuts for the aforementioned Cmyk label, which he also manages. A loop based composer, there is a tracky, old school vibe to Under’s productions that bears comparison to Neapolitan and Stockholm-based producers. Presumably working under his collage-based ethos for this release, whereby a collection of loops and beats are made and then used, chopped up and recycled to make further tracks, each cut is titled as a slight variation on the central theme.
The rise and fall bass of “Azul Terio Carnal” is followed by a black keyed melody as distorted alarm clocks peel off against snatches of vocals in the background and a myriad of other intricate effects. “Azul Terio Postureo,” with it’s almost complete vocal phrases, will appeal to those who have trouble enjoying the more minimal side of Under’s tracks. But for my money it comes across as the weakest track on the EP, sounding a bit too much like Valentino Kanzyani at its zenith for my liking. “Azul Terio Cerebral” is a punishing rush of techno; landing heavy hits after a brief filtered intro, the intensity is maintained throughout the track by compressed drum kicks working against the off-beat bottom end. Ribbons of atonal melody unravel and curl around each other while never getting in the way of the driving groove. The digital release also features a propulsive tribal cut (“Azul Terio Techno”) that is marred only by the repetitive call of “techno” throughout the majority of the track. However on the whole this EP highlights the strengths of Under and his particular focus on the dance floor.
