OSCAR MULERO

BLACK PROPAGANDA (WARM UP)

16/20

Anyone completely mesmerised by the bleakness of the 2006 remix by Ricardo Villalobos of Shackleton’s Blood On My Hands with its dystopian connotations and inert darkness, should be crashing Beatport’s servers in order to acquire this harder, but nonetheless equally sinister and troubling slice of techno from Spanish star Oscar Mulero. Thematically he doesn’t leave much to the imagination in alluding a politically false world and corrupted system of control in the album title as well as tracks such as Intentionally False, Disinformation and To Convince For The Untruth. Musically, it’s pounding 4/4 techno layered with lashings of echo, suspense, whirs and dark noise from techno’s dirtiest chambers. The front cover depicts a boy with black eyes set in front of a backdrop of a crumbling city and as this reviewer basks in 27 degree heat, Crack would suggest consuming this record at night in a quarry or in the club at the start of Blade as opposed to a summery roof terrace. That said, it’s an absorbing, powerful listen which will intentionally alienate many and engage others with the concept and the sheer darkness of the whole sordid affair.

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Words: HB