Née: The brainchild of Daniel Badillo.
Raíces: México DF.
Sounds like: Memories of sun-damaged photographs of being out dancing with childhood friends.
You should listen to Missing Human because…they have enough audio processing to remain exciting while exploring emotions that other electronic artists shy away from.
Yes, Missing Human plays electronic music. You are not mistaken for thinking that when you learn that this project has played at MUTEK in Mexico City or is scheduled to represent the Latino wave of synth-wielding artists at the forthcoming NRMAL festival. And that’s not to mention many an article where they describe the music as “IDM,” or getting compared to artists from the venerable Warp label. This is not a mistake, just don’t expect this to be a collection of rave bangers.
The music made by Mexico City’s Daniel Badillo has a melodic edge that makes everything warmer than your average techno-infused project. While there are plenty of digital sounds and beats scattered on his nascent catalogue, it’s the hushed vocals and major chords that invite you to stay, even borrowing slight crescendos from post rock in the arrangements to give it a higher lift. It’s beautiful abstraction awash in delicate details that makes it seem both nostalgic and hopeful, while never letting things slow down too much.
Badillo has been working on his brand of music since 2010, but it’s not until recently that Missing Human has picked up steam in the underground circuit, playing at big festivals or small venues alike with similarly-minded projects like Un rêve. In 2014, Daniel recorded and released the Pulse EP, with help from guitarist Jorge Vargas who has joined Badillo onstage from time to time as well, which won him some recognition throughout the country. A great display of soulful electronics anchored by round songwriting, Daniel is not without broad musical tastes and a sense of humor, as proven by his cover of ‘N Sync’s turn of the millennium smash “It’s Gonna Be Me”.
Missing Human is definitely an act to watch, with the potential to alter the rules of the game in the Mexican electronic scene.