Silent Servant & John Tejada - The Monitors (Redux)
In light of the tragic passing of Juan Mendez, otherwise known as Silent Servant, the industry lost the legend. As John Tejada highlights with the release of The Monitor's self-titled redux EP, the feeling is bittersweet. Originally a one-off project between Silent Servant and John Tejada, it was initially released in 2011 to showcase their friendship and collaboration. With a heavy heart, Tejada explains, "We've had this re-release in the works for a few weeks now. Mendez had given the drum tracks an update and I've given the release a fresh master." This work has paid dividends as the first track, 'Control', demands more attention than its 2011 counterpart. This time, we have reggaeton drum patterns elevating the track to new danceable heights. Instead of jumping straight into the melodics, the truck is much more DJ-friendly, with ample space for mixing. The bloopy polyrhythms for 2011 return only with more presence. The second track on the release, 'Protection', starts with the same polyrhythm heard on 'Control', only this time it's more gorgeous and expensive with little nods of delay and reverb creating a blanket underneath its beeps. The 1950s vocal exclaiming, "The monitors are your friends", is a classy touch, adding a bit of sci-fi bewilderment. The redux favours a more techno-oriented sound, which is not to say the track has lost all its tech-house influence, apparent from the minimalistic melody, bouncy groove, and inorganic percussion. At this point, John Tejada's comment on this release being bittersweet rings so true. It's such a fantastic release under such difficult times. Rest in power, Juan Mendez. May Silent Servant live forever.
Tracklist:
Control
Protection
Label: The Monitors (2024)
