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Pedro Aguiar – Semantica (Sudbeat)

Following up a string of releases on the likes of Bedrock, Lost & Found, Classound, and Flow Vinyl, as well as a fantastic debut album on Silicone Soul’s Darkroom Dubs, Pedro Aguiar returns to Sudbeat with three brand new tracks.

Lead track ‘Semantica’ is similar in feel to ‘Ego Tripping’, which made waves when it was released on Lost & Found in March of this year. There’s the same combination of hypnotic, understated melodies and driving industrial sounds and stabs, but this time Pedro Aguiar throws in menacing bassy rumbles that really keep the track moving forward.

As a nice complement, ‘Intelecto’ is much lighter in tone and mood, with a simple motif and a bubbling bassline carrying the first part of the track, before they’re joined by warm, rising pads and glassy, reverberating melodies. The breakdown revels in these spacious sounds, nicely setting up a more urgent second half.

The real gem here, though, for my money, is Pedro Aguiar’s third track, ‘Distant Suns’. Gentle pads rise over some stripped-back percussion, before a cool, multi-layered bassline gives the track a superb groove. There are no big moments or melodies here, but instead ‘Distant Suns’ simply shimmers, while the breakdown is absolutely electrifying. This is gorgeous, subtle, and intelligent – in short, a treat.

This is a really strong and varied EP from Pedro Aguiar, with all three tracks hitting the mark for me, but ‘Distant Sun’ providing the clear winner.

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