Barcelona-based producer Milton Castellar is a young artist slowly coming into his own. He makes heady electronic music that goes beyond dance floor under his Galera alias. His ability to blend jazz and IDM into his sound hints at big things to come. To date, he’s release a handful of really interesting records. The common thread is that he’s unafraid of coloring outside musical circles.
Toward the end of last year his track “Dyin'” appeared on Barca, a compilation of Barna-bred talent released by Minor Planets. Next came his three-track Havana EP on Beautiful Accident. His other list of accomplishments include supporting Tycho’s Spanish tour last year.
We were curious to know about the music he listens to. So we asked Castellar to fill us in on five tracks that are currently rocking his world.
Rag Dabons – “En Panna Dauber”
The jungle rhythms of this track along with the melody a la 303s style, which are quite subtle, reminds me of Aphex Twin. The pad that accompanies it also makes a very ’90s rave sound with a floating background. Discovering this label (DKO) has been a pleasant surprise.
Lanark Artefax – “Touch Absence”
The rawness of the whole track, both drums and bass, is sublime. It has a mysterious tone that does not let us see beyond — it just keeps on progressing, adding certain nuances but it seems that it continually wants to show us something that does not really exist. That said, I repeat myself: the bass is sublime!
Los Planetas – “Islamabad”
For me this is a track that better represents the current music scene in Spain. It brings together old glories with new, joining old ways of promoting themselves with new ones, as well having a great pleasure because the musical part of the theme is sublime. They are from Granada (South Spain).
Blind Rape – “Safety Instructions”
The first thing that caught my attention was the voice that reminds me of Frank Zappa’s “Joe’s Garage.” Every time I listen to it I hear Zappa in a washing machine with an effective bass and some kind of western guitar possessed by a snake — all with bass that keeps following us as if it were the drummer of Can.
Shimokitazawa One Night Stand – “A New Life”
And finally the most powerful arrangements that I heard in 2017. You can spend seven minutes without knowing for sure what is going to happen next, and at the same time we are not in a hurry to get to know what will be. We just let ourselves be guided by the flow. It’s wicked and playful but at the same time stylish and sophisticated. It is also cooked unhurriedly, with patience. Possibly the most difficult thing in this electronic world where we are — one where everyone is mad to show their production skills, like if tomorrow does not exist. In my opinion, that’s wrong decision.