Concepción is a Chilean city that has been historically linked to pop and rock. The city’s affinity for those genres makes sense, since it gave birth to two of the country’s biggest rock bands from the past few decades: Los Tres and Los Bunkers. But in recent years, platforms like Discos Cetáceos have been pushing more dancefloor-oriented genres and trying to break the pop rock status quo.
Pablo Romero is the co-founder of the Discos Cetáceos imprint, and one of the key players in the rise of electronic music in Concepción. Although he’s no stranger to the rock scene – he’s a member of Julia Smith, a band that tips its hat to the Los Bunkers sound – Romero actually produces under the name Nabucodonosor. Diamante Records is putting out his new EP, titled Soul Out, and we’re thrilled to premiere it here at Remezcla.
Soul Out is comprised of four elaborate tracks that celebrate all things house. They run the way Romero performs at his live shows – jamming and squeezing the potential out of just a few elements. Opening track “Mong” is a great example of this process. For almost half the song, Romero conjures dynamism out of gates and filters, giving movement to stationary patterns. It isn’t until the six-minute mark when the harmony changes, creating a sense of buoyancy that ultimately gives way to a straight up dance party.
“Jangerbott” follows “Mong,” and it’s a late-night jewel. The growly bass line creates a polyrhythm when it clashes with the classic four-on-the-floor house beat. It’s lo-fi and unpredictable, as he jams with synth sounds that range from metallic stabs to rippling swirls. “Soul Out” relies more on field recordings and samples, spiced up with a soulful chord progression, and closer “Not Just a Beat” bounces with its funky retro-futurist vibe.
If Nabucodonosor even remotely represents the club sounds of Concepción, we’re ready to party with him.