- Bala Club, the label and party run by Kamixlo and Uli K, have recently played a key role in keeping London's ever-evolving club sounds on the move. Angélico is the follow-up to Kamixlo's debut, Demonico, released a year ago on CODES, Visionist's collaborative label with PAN.
Like Demonico, Angélico is full of tough, pounding drums—especially "Ayuda," which strips things down to little more than distorted kicks. But Kamixlo's trick is making a heavy club stomp sound nimble with syncopated Latin flair, something that becomes apparent early on with the second track, "Bloodless Y." Kamixlo has Chilean roots, and while you may hear echoes of cumbia or reggaeton, filtering these kinds of influences through the urban dread of London is what makes the music feel special. Each of the four central tracks has its own rhythmic personality, but they're all tied together with a ravey, post-industrial sound palette and the angelic sounds of children's voices, sampled and altered.
For all its dance floor utility, "Bloodless Y" is probably the most straightforward beat. Evian Christ ups the already high brash factor with his typically trance-referencing remix of it. But while this level of full-blooded intensity can be hard and noisy, it's also exciting. Giving all of that some swing feels great.
Tracklist01. Angélico
02. Bloodless Y
03. Ayuda
04. Ice2CU
05. Xtremetonterias
06. Bloodless Y (Evian Christ Remix)