Barcelona-based electronic producer Brunetto apparently first began his DJ career back in the mid-nineties, spinning breaks in Spanish clubs alongside the likes of Junkie XL and the Plump DJs, before becoming a founding member of now-defunct hard-rock / hip-hop band Bockers. Since the dissolution of that aforementioned band back in 2001, Brunetto’ gone on to release two solo albums through the Barcelona-based Freelastica label, 2005′ trip-hop / downbeat jazz-oriented Dejalo Asi Bru, and last year’ Homeself collection, which showed him undertaking more diverse excursions into abstract hip-hop influences and minimal electronics. With much of Brunetto’ time apparently now occupied with producing music for television and website projects, this latest 12″ EP Formas represents fledgling Spanish label PhonoBox’ third release in total, and collects together four new tracks that cast a glance back over all of the various facets of his previous work, while simultaneously showing Brunetto firmly focused on stretching his sound into new areas.
On the A-side of the vinyl, “Circular’ opens proceedings on a glacially dubbed-out note that recalls Pole’ refracted minimal downbeat electronics, before discretely placed hip-hop rhythms and vaguely industrial percussive textures take things out on a headnod journey that’s edged with just the right level of buzzing digital menace amidst its slightly retro-prog synth swells. By contrast, “Conica’ occupies considerably more ominous territory, sending crackly minimalist breakbeats crunching beneath a brooding backdrop of vast reverberating tones, growling analogue bass and some eerie minor key stabs that call to mind the synthetic Goth menace of Depeche Mode’ Violator period and its contemporary descendents such as Haujobb / Daniel Meyer. On the flipside, “Diagonal’ offers up what was personally my favourite of the four tracks here, beginning things in graceful IDM territory amidst icily pretty keys and delicately fluttering glitchy rhythms before suddenly taking things on a vaguely dub-styled trip that manages to deftly combine a crunching hip-hop pulse with bottomless low-end bass and a headspinning wash of treated samples. Finally, “Curvas’ sees Brunetto injecting elements of jazz shuffle into the mix, with smooth sampled live bass runs adding a warm downbeat funk undercurrent to slowly clicking beats, flickering hi-hats and waspy analogue synth pads, closing things off with what’s easily the most chilled-out moment here. While the slight overuse of tweaked and filtered analogue synths verges on being obtrusive at points, on the whole, Formas represents some of Brunetto’ most diverse and intriguing work yet.
Chris Downton
