reeko: la mala educación

In recent years, the Spanish producer’s name has become synonymous with exquisitely produced, hyper-functional Techno variants. Releases via Pole Group and Planet Rhythm as well as the artist’s own Mental Disorder outlet have seen Juan Rico develop a distinctive sound that places elements of Noise & Ambient within a contemporary Techno framework – harnessing a dense, abrasive energy without compromising groove. Layers of ethereal pads, filtered noise and feedback FX are compounded into a tight, mono space, pushing back on powerful, propulsive low end – making for a decidedly heady listening experience. On La Mala Educación, Reeko continues in this vein – though the work leans more towards the noisier, more industrial end of previous output. Across six tracks, the Spanish producer showcases a bipartite approach to form, as punishing dance-floor cuts Desfile Funebre de Rosas and Habitación 877 coalesce with more experimental, atmospheric recordings. Engendrado features a single warping sequence, pitching and bending over the course of it’s four minute run time, while opener Carne y Demonio begins life as a shimmering, wide angle Ambient piece – before sinking deep into high-energy abstraction with a single feedback-heavy polyrhythm driving the work along it’s course. The finish on the material is harsh, and sounds meld together with considerable drama – but Reeko’s real skill lies in the binding elements, the steely drones and machine hiss that hold the music together with considerable poise. Whilst La Mala Educación explores disparate expressions within the genre – the same mediative pulse runs throughout the EP, and this sense of cohesion combined with the admirable technical skill on display paints a picture of a producer in full control of his art.