- Miguel Barros's first solo outing in two years finds the Madrid producer in characteristically cloud-gazing, tuneful form. His first release on Young Turks (home to The xx and SBTRKT) is, in the most positive of ways, '80s-influenced soft pop, and prominently features the gossamer vocals familiar from many John Talabot tracks. The lovelorn vocal hook of "A New Dawn," in particular, drew me in immediately, with Barros's sweet, gently ascending register being gradually enveloped in a warm blanket of softly buzzing bass synth and gentle percussion. "Invisible Amenaza" places a pacier, more disco-ish vocal slightly further back in a mix that features clipped hats, noodling wisps of piano and bright pads.
The package includes an extended dub version of the title track that builds slowly via solid bass and sparkling synth flourishes, before introducing fragments of the original's vocal. Less relaxing are the psychedelically lurching black and white lines of the dub version's video, which left me feeling car sick for a good half hour. "The Shy" has Barros back on romantic falsetto form, his almost Bee Gees-esque "I can't get you out of my mind" line driven forward by a simple two-note bass riff, crisp hats and a softly clanking synth riff.
TracklistA1 Invisible / Amenaza
A2 A New Down
A3 The Shy
B Invisible / Amenaza (Extended Dub 12" Version)