HERNAN CATTANEO レコード& CD

Review: In celebration of their tenth birthday, Selador marks the occasion in style with a four-track collaborative EP, featuring tracks from 3D, Robert Owens, Olivier Giacomotto, Quivver, Dave Seaman, Hernan Cattaneo, Argia, and Jepe. The opening track, 'Known Love', is a deep, pulasting house tune that feels like an instant classic, perhaps thanks to the soulful, pop-tinged vocals - think LCD soundsystem meets Four Tet. 'Snailblazer', the second track on the EP, takes a much darker turn, with a chugging, EBM-esque feel. Full-bodied and complete with obscured vocals, this is the kind of track to pull out your bag when it's time to really get stuck in. On the B-side, 'Napkin Knowledge' draws on the glistening synths of eurodance, yet still securing the melodies to a grounded bassline and rhythm section. 'Salitre' is the perfect closing track, rising up in a gleaming, ecstatic melody, before delicately returning to ground level. A varied yet firmly cohesive collaborative release - the perfect way for Selador to kick off their 2023 catalogue.

Review: Argentina's Hernan Cattaneo has long championed deeper, mellower sounds, and here Balance Music invite him to give full rein to those laidback tendencies. CD1 starts out in deep house/minimal pastures, then moves closer to the prog/melodic end of the spectrum as it goes on, and that's where we stay for most of CD2 (bar the inevitable downtempo close) - though, to be clear, we're talking about the very deepest of prog here, with not a cheesy Euro synth riff in sight! It's an album that's really best enjoyed in full, but if you want to know where to dip your toes, try Mike Griego's 'Headspace' or Kevin Di Serna & Graziano Raffa's 'System Era'.