Dresden, Germany’s Motin continues to establish himself as a boss when it comes to the production of heady tropical bass grooves on Fauna, his latest EP for Discos Peligrosa Records. The four-track release excels at casting a wide net in the mainstream of booming and club-ready sounds. Motin succeeds at finding a distinctive voice in these existing genres.
The title track starts things off and bears the most bruising, trap-style bassline of the EP. A series of organic, xylophone-style melodies are underpinned by a ragged bassline, anchored by crunching breaks. Don’t let the fanciful melody fool you, as this one still crafts a late-night club vibe. “Black Woods” has an Afro-tribal energy, and is as heavy and dance-friendly as it is dark and brooding. “Lluvia” lightens things up; it’s a bright and grooving bit of cumbia-inspired moombahton with a break-made dembow kick. Closing out the EP with more moombahton – by way of a remix of Kike Harvey’s 1993 single “Se Te Acabo La Dicha” – seems like a left-field choice at first. However, the sumptuous feel of the trumpets, vocals, tempo, and mood of the original lend the track to a remix. Overall, it’s a refreshing and modern update.