Bufi (Mexico’s Mateo Gonzalez) is breaking down the walls of musical stereotypes and re-writing the rules of genre classification. The Siempre EP (Sincopat) is a chuggin’ fusion of house music, techno, acid, and electronica with an emphasis on intricate breakdowns and hypnotic beats. The top two tracks are heavy, dark affairs; the pair on the flipside are a bit lighter with a more upbeat attitude. Though slow to grow and following a somewhat a predictable song progression, once the cuts hit their stride there’s no turning back.
Title track “Siempre” rumbles in with a grinding bottom and crisp snares, building with staccato synths as the song takes form and new elements are shuffled in, allowing the glitchy layers weaving around each other. “CV Smoothie” is a thundering tech-ish cut with a mundane build but industrial-strength sound that winds up to let loose with a pounding kick and hypnotic leads. “El House Es Tu Idioma” might be an 8-bit reminiscence, somewhat brighter than the others with a vocal that stands out more than the earlier tracks’ simple samples. Finally, “Slowfall” adds something different with an eclectic and breezy underground twist.
With four unique flavors, the Siempre EP has something for everyone. The release works because, as the song says, house music is a universal language.