- That Santiago Salazar and Silent Servant have shared several 12-inches on their own label Historia y Violencia is proof that they don't mind a little bit of contrast. But John Tejada and Truncate on the same record? I don't think anyone could have predicted that. The former is engaged in producing mellow, sun-drenched beats at the moment, while just four years ago, the latter was making things like this. Of course, there's nothing wrong with mixing yin and yang, especially given Tejada's versatility and Truncate's recent mellowing.
Tejada's cut―"Maximiliano"―plays out exactly as the previous description implies. Bell-like bass sets up the carefree mood, chiming along with a lying-in-a-gently-rocking-rowboat kind of cadence. For most of the time, this actually functions both as bassline and as melody. In the mid-section, however, Tejada introduces a whirling, super-short sequence on top; almost like a bird call. Playing with the settings on this second bit, he keeps it constantly morphing, working hard to briefly capture attention before returning to the pleasant, noncommittal lull of before. As you'd expect, "Veinticinco" is very, very different. Splicing in distant-sounding wails, Truncate and Silent Servant have created a menacing and atmospheric piece. What impresses most is the clear separation between these ghostly tendrils and the gloomy ping-ponging which makes up the foreground; there's obviously some masterful sound design at work.
Tracklist A John Tejada - Maximiliano (6 July 1832 - 19 June 1867)
B Truncate - Venticinco (.25) feat. Silent Servant