The Stranger Oscar Mulero

Known for his intense DJ sets and heavily textured productions, Oscar Mulero embodies all that has made him a central figure in the international techno scene in 'The Stranger'. His first release on Token since 2021's 'Titan', the Spaniard announces his return the only way he knows how, through layered concoctions of noisy synth work and impactful percussion wrapped up in a four track EP of impressive weight.

The record's first track 'The Sweat and the Salt' is a representative introduction to the rest of the project. Mulero holds nothing back with his moody, obscure style and funnels measured grit into every detail he can. Hypnotic to its core but noisy and saturated enough to give it an industrial edge, the intricacies of this first track are upheld and continued in 'The Reddish Glow'. Here, we have more of a melodic back and forth being played between synth sequences. With no small dose of reverb to open up the dimension of the track, the incessant tapping of high to low frequency plucks make it a destabilizing mind trip of a club record. Complete with racing hi hats and his signature kick, Mulero plays with his elements to ensure depth in disorientation. 'Why Are You Holding a Gun' flattens up the space a little bit, creating more of a two-dimensional ambiance and taking synth distortion to a new level. A mess of an analog sequence hissing in the high end is paced out by metallic rides and short hi hats, making an effective dancefloor instrument. As powerful as ever, the PoleGroup boss controls his chaos with rhythmically questionable elements that add to the general delirium of 'The Stranger'. As the final chapter, 'The Sunlight Blinded His Eyes' is the perfect arrival to a stomping EP. A meditative pad hovers in the back while a rhythmically centered track forms, shuffling through drum patterns and an infectious bassline. Still packing a punch in the kick, this final song takes us out into the cosmos after a high pressure club music display by one of Spain's most respected contributors to techno.