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Milan Records, a label subsidiary that releases primarily soundtrack albums for various films like The Blair Witch Project 2 and the television show Frasier, has released some quality down-tempo with the second installment of Nacho Sotomayor’s La Roca series. While Sotomayor’s album was not intended as a soundtrack, it does offer the similar emotional draw that is comparable to the atmospheric work of artists like BT, Talvin Singh and Deep Forest. La Roca is comprised of ethereal studio production, a combination of the warm undertow of aquatic synths with the emotionally draining vocals and chants from various nations.
A majority of the material on the album really creates a soundtrack for the listener. Each volume of La Roca has the ultra-climactic sound of today’s Trance music and Sotomayor does feature the 4/4 beat on one of his tracks, but he is far too skilled as a musician to stick to such a predictable formula. Sotomayor constructs down-tempo and Latin percussion with a keen ear for blending digital and acoustic instruments that aim for an introspective and meditative listen. Angelic sounds sweep through each mix. One particular track "Without You" sticks out from Sotomayor’s style. In this instance the sounds become more stripped down and takes a Massive Attack-styled turn with pulsating bass, melancholic piano and reverb that lurks around in the distance. With the exception of that darker moment, most of the album is uplifting and dangerously near adult contemporary, but thankfully it never reaches that point. Nacho Sotomayor may not be the most talked about artist in electronic music but who cares, this is strong material that is at least worth the listen, or even better, as the soundtrack for your next adventure.
-Justin Hardison
Track Listing:
- Sometimes
- Dreaming I (Voz-Melody Nicholls)
- Don’t Do Anything
- Sublife
- Without You
- Prayer
- Hell
- Intuition
- Dreaming II
- Experience (Voz Bebe)
- Aquatic Form
- World Form
- Never
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Nacho Sotomayor
