Marco Cabral - Long Mixes

9 Feb

An amalgamation of molten synthesis and locomotive motion is front and centre in Marcos Cabral’s 2013 L.I.E.S Records release, Long Mixes. Cabral’s energetic and hard-hitting techno romps are bit-crushed and saturated, distorting sweetly with exciting combinations and an interplay between the raw analogue warmth and complex digital artefacts.

Long Mixes is a follow-up to the 2013 album ‘False Memories’, also released by L.I.E.S. Records. Marcos Cabral has developed these tracks from their original length of around the 2-3 minute mark and extended them to over double in what seems like a very comfortable process, with each track giving so much more than the original album versions.

Each track is bolstered and improved with its extended length. Cabral allows the loops to breathe more by adding more of them and reimagining the tracks, giving us more tofu to chew on. ‘Solid Nature’ plays with movement and uses the consistency of a locomotive machine to toy with expectation, ingeniously manufacturing acceleration by subtly bringing the synthesised sounds further and further in front of the beat.

‘Broken Clocks’ is a wobbly percussive track with an exciting carnival vibe to its rhythms, with whistles so crushed and distorted they’re barely recognisable. Rhythmic excitement is the key to ‘Broken Clocks’ as it plays with percussion and fluctuating energy. The new second act to the track, on Long Mixes, allows for a more rounded experience and more time to soak in those lovely grooves.

‘Failing Liver’ looks to experiment with time, especially considering the extended mix compared to the original. ‘Failing Liver’ offers a drawn-out and gritty dub techno track that descends into dark and atmospheric looping textures that subtly change over time. The Long Mixes allow for more extended exploration, textures shift, and rhythms morph much slower, thus creating a much more engaging experience.

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