By José Gandue
Imagine a unique time machine. One that transports those interested three decades back, to parties, studios, and events in Berlin, London, Manchester, and Bath. A journey made to rediscover a sound that, mistakenly, we have aged in our memory and consider antiquated at this point in time. A sound that, contrary to what some experts and stubborn people on the subject may claim, still has much to say, especially in days when we are regaining our fascination with technology, the ever-present dream of man with android-like abilities., and the desire to conquer the world with the generous creaking of industrial artifacts.
We're still in the machine, still navigating through time. Mind you, we haven't lost sight of the 21st century along the way.. Nobody is talking about simple, flat nostalgia. through new wave, progressive music and synthpop. It continues to guide us through a contemporary perspective, as it aims to create a 47-minute album that, with its nine songs, understands and celebrates new generations., without denying the strong influences from artists and bands such as Peter Gabriel, Japan, Gang of Four, The Fixx and King Crimson. It's about understanding that we live in times where well-crafted and passionately conceived works aren't necessarily confined to a single era. This album, called Art, noise + speed, made by Theremyn 4, The project, directed by Peruvian José Gallo, recaptures iconic sounds from forty and fifty years ago and looks toward the future. As Gallo himself says «"I started working on this album in 2020 and I've been shaping the tracks and the concept of the album influenced in part by 'new' music (in quotes) because there's so much material online that you can discover new worlds in the 70s or 80s.".
This is a sensitive and exciting production, with moments of dance contrasted with moments of reflection. Nazca cowboy, which includes the voice of Paul "Bee" Hampshire, singer of the legendary English band Getting the Fear, It's an intense start, a track worthy of a Blade Runner-style science fiction soundtrack or, in contrast, a road movie., perhaps a contemporary version of Bonnie and Clyde. Another particular cut is Street Girl Ethos, A five-minute instrumental piece that stirs melancholy with a gentle smile amidst unexpected high notes. It's an invitation to dance, slowly seeking euphoria, achieving an inevitable ecstasy at the end. Dry Season It's an interlude that tastes and smells like a desert near the sea, a strange pause standing on a dune to observe the path ahead. And, moving on to the end, we arrive at the slowed-down version of the first track., Nazca Slow Cowboy, where the triumph and repose of a possible hero seems to resound, who remembers from a distance the enthusiasm of the beginning of the journey and understands the growing maturity that has been acquired over the kilometers.
A brilliant effort from Theremyn 4, who, with this recording, complete ten full-length albums and confirm their continued relevance in the Latin American electronic music scene. In conclusion, Art, noise + Speed It is a discography of a trip elegant and exciting, valid to be listened to timelessly.