Cotard E.P. Subismo

If you like your techno laced with boundless amounts of energy and most definitely made with the dancefloor in mind, chances are you’ll adore the debut from emerging Brazilian label, Massa Records. Helmed by long-time DJ/producer and label owner, Renato Cohen, the imprint’s modus operandi is discerning to the core, with this release indicative of the fact. If you’ve encountered Cohen’s music over the years you’ll know that he’s a man who shares a suitably parallel vision, with his many works earning repeated plays from some of the scene’s foremost players. Massa’s debut outing here comes at us from Sao Paulo native Subismo. Much like acts such as Amanda Mussi, Subismo is part of a gradual shift in South America towards techno sounds. The Cotard EP is an altogether sprightly and engaging release, with its many trippy hues and unrelenting up-tempo ethos ensuring it will go down a treat if handled with care by the right DJ. The title track is a case in point. Full of spiky synths from the off, it threatens to blow up but instead man- ages to somehow stay relatively restrained throughout. If you’re looking to build momentum and bring the night in a new direction, chances are you’ll consider this one is sure to prove a viable and valuable tool. Remixing the original is none other than U.S. techno legend and Kompakt regular, John Tejada. The veteran producer’s take on the track is an inspired one, as he adds a banging acid-led baseline to proceedings, thus interpreting it in his own inimitable way and with some panache. An inspired remix that pays homage to the original’s prowess in all the right ways. The final track on offer is another Subismo original, ‘Ritmopeia’. Not quite as manic as what’s come be- fore, it nonetheless packs a significant punch itself, with its fervent claps and incessant baseline making it a more than potent weapon in its own right. A spirited EP full of thrills throughout, Massa’s debut is nothing if not auspicious.