Two years after
Matias Aguayo
released an album of spooky dance-rock with his band
the Desdemonas
, the Chilean-German producer seemed to change directions entirely with his fourth solo full-length.
Support Alien Invasion
is surprisingly devoid of
Aguayo
's playful, sensual vocals -- quite shocking coming from the man who released
Ay Ay Ay
, consisting mainly of improvisational-sounding vocal loops, a decade earlier. Instead, he places the focus on rhythms, particularly ones that are much more complex than the basic 4/4 thump often associated with techno and house. The title
encourages the embrace of other cultures, and the music takes influence from a variety of African and Latin dance styles, from cumbia to kuduro, but
seems to build his own sonic language out of these elements rather than try to faithfully replicate any styles in particular. The title also seems to refer to how strange and unconventional the album sounds. Even with the presence of carnival-like drum patterns, the music often feels dark and eerie rather than festive. There are plenty of startling, unexpected moments, like when "We Have Seen Another World" switches between a growling, pounding shuffle and a lighter, airier melody. Tracks like "2019" and "Pikin" have a paranoid, post-industrial edge, while a tantalizing melody surfaces during the tense hustle of "Support Alien Invasion." The album diverts away from intense rhythms midway through, from the slow, steamy "Insurgentes" (during which a few traces of Auto-Tuned vocals flare up) to the brooding dark ambient piece "Between the Risings." This album of skeletal club tracks might be a bit puzzling to listeners who prefer
's more song-based efforts, but it's definitely worthwhile for anyone keeping an ear to the vanguard of global club music, particularly labels like
Principe Discos
. ~ Paul Simpson