Continuing their work with Matias Aguayo’s label Cómeme, Buenos Aires-based production duo Carisma just released Vertigo, a five-track EP that the label accurately describes as “pleasantly disturbing.” Following Carisma’s obsession with dark atmospheres (evident from earlier singles like “Talento Matematico”), the duo’s heavy new techno tracks are just as deep and twitchy. The release is short, but more dense compared to the dark tracks that Cómeme labelmates like Dany F and Lena Wilkens have been putting out. The Cómeme aesthetic is there, but the duo demonstrates that they deliver it in their own terms.
Things get a little weird from the start, with “Fruta” featuring slinky synths and samples of actual mosquitoes and a drainage pipe. In “Discoteca Profunda,” the percussion and rhythmic sections give the listener the impression that he or she is speeding up, creating a repetitive vertiginous feeling. The title track is an example of how spooky synths, big snare hits, and deep bass lines can make for a particularly dizzying collection of techno music. This EP is a must for those looking for an excuse to stay at the club when everyone else seems to be bailing. It’s a solid group of sick tracks for the nocturnal bunch. Download the EP’s last song for free on Soundcloud.