- From the hard, cold future vision of early Detroit techno to contemporary smooth funk like Space Dimension Controller, the history of electronic music is littered with examples of those who have gone searching amongst the stars for their ideas. Orquesta is another of these producers and, on his debut six-track EP Celestial, he proves that there is no shortage of inspiration still to be mined from the outer reaches.
Orquesta combines Caribbean percussion with a slow, semi-Balearic set of textures. "Una Supernova" opens proceedings with a vocal sample detailing the relationship between our world and the stars, through the lens of the atomic bomb. Its melancholic yet transcendent outlook suits the minor key of the track, where the bass colours the tone of the ever-present percussion.
The title track centres around a breathy pan-pipe melody with skittering snare rhythms dancing around it in orbit. It's an Amazonian version of outer space, earthy and calm rather than concerned with steel and speed. "The Lunar Maria" adds the vocal harmonies of singer Katie Kim to the mix. "Carl Sagan" is apparently an attempt to recreate musically the character and personality of the great man himself, "constant, flowing and precise." The solid bass props up a barely-there melody designed to mirror Sagan's delicate and passionate nature.
The 22-year old Orquesta has clearly found himself a working formula. His sound manages to quickly breed familiarity while never quite sounding like anything else in particular. This is the EP's greatest strength; it never strays too far from the central ideas and core sounds. Coming across like a series of riffs on one strong moment of inspiration, it leaves the door wide open for further exploration.
Tracklist01. Una Supernova
02. Celestial
03. Niburu
04. The Lunar Maria feat. Katie Kim
05. Carl Sagan
06. Apollo 1