Alejandro Bernal
Detrás de la montaña
SCORE: 9.3
Colombian composer, Alejandro Bernal, makes a fantastic debut full of complex sound design and abstract structures, all within an unnerving vibe. His versatility has him going from abrasive noise passages to fully danceable -yet odd- grooves.
OTONO, the Mexico City-based experimental label, should be known for its knack to procure impressive debuts. Albums like Bioluminik’s self-titled double single, and Gaspar Peralta’s elegant Prontuario Sosiego Miríada figure among the best examples of what Mexico has to offer as an alternative to “the alternative” scene. While mostly working with Mexican artists, the label’s curation goes beyond national borders, sometimes in the form of collaborations or solo endeavors. Their most recent release has Colombian composer, Alejandro Bernal, making a fantastic debut full of complex sound design and abstract structures, all within an unnerving vibe.
Opening up with pure abrasiveness, Detrás de la montaña may trick us into thinking this will be a well-trimmed noise record, one that would play nicely on an art gallery instead of an abandoned sketchy basement, but as it progresses, Bernal’s versatility as a sound artist and musician really shows. This is not say that the album jumps from one genre to another, but the journey we’re taken through is a highly nuanced one: there are introspective, calm moments; abrasive and nerve-wrecking passages, and even danceable -yet odd- grooves. This is not a simple ambient or drone album, but it is also not an over-the-top, pretentious endeavor. Its ambition lies within the depth of its soundscapes and nothing more.
Transformation seems to be an important aspect of this set of tracks. All of them take different forms as they move along without feeling like Frankentracks. “Isla”, the album’s first track, slowly evolves from a distorted, nails-on-chalk shapeless texture, into an almost middle-eastern groove. The transition is so effective that it feels like we arrived to a whole new place after a turbulent journey. “Alondro” begins with a lonely guitar, eventually paving the way to a different dynamic with incomplete samples that quickly evaporate, and a pulsating rhythm that never resolves; it evokes the exasperation of wanting to say something but not being able to find the words. Bernal is able to put emotion into what its considered mostly a cerebral practice: abstract music doesn’t always reach the emotional core, but Alejandro can be totally obscure while also delivering animic complexity.
While remaining within the aesthetics of electro-acoustic vanguard, Alejandro’s pieces don’t feel stagnant or unimaginative. “Náufragos” is a track that wouldn’t be out of place on the dance floor, while “Antílopes” is a cinematic and exhilarating drone epic that closes the album on a high note. But, despite the differences between songs, Detrás de la montaña is still aesthetically coherent; it doesn’t feel like a group of people was forced to live together under the same roof without any regard for comunal harmony. Bernal knows how to maintain the same tone all throughout while avoiding monotony.
Alejandro is already a seasoned artist. He is part of Mr. Bleat, a well-renowned project, and the post-rockish Danta, so to say that Detrás de la montaña is his first foray into music wouldn’t be an accurate statement; however, as his solo debut, it is a testament to the composer’s progress, growth and overall maturity as it is really different -and even better- than his collective endeavors. He has given us an excellent album to finish the year with.
