Future Classic: Flako “Nature Boy” (Five Easy Pieces Records)

There were two full length releases that came out last week that I was really anticipating: Kendrick‘s “How To Pimp A Butterfly” and the new LP called “Nature Boy” from Dario Rojo Guerra also known as Flako, a producer we’ve been into and playing his tracks since 2009’s “First Spaceshit On The Moon“.

I got both records right before leaving for 20 days on a Europe tour but decided to wait until I was on the plane with a good 7 hours to listen to them a couple times over. Well, I can say that in both cases these are very ambitious records from two extremely talented guys.

Now, more about the Flako record (since there is enough press about Kendrick). London-based with German-Chilean heritage, Dario Rojo Guerra is an artist who may seem like a new kid on the block, because he is still very young but actually has been around since 2008-2009; and in the “beats” scene that pretty much makes veteran of the game. However, Flako has remained up until now a very underrated artist who seems a bit reclusive about his music and social media presence, when compared to his peers. An artist who has chosen to instead of dumbing down his work and making it more accessible, to make it evolve as much as possible.

Not everyone knows about the Dirg Gerner moniker he uses on his singer / songwriter projects (check out two great EP’s on Ho_tep and Eglo) or his amazing work in his first 2-3 years but one thing is for sure: in the plethora of new producers, he is one that has a unique sound and voice and seems to be blazing his own trail and sound without compromise. It almost feels like he’s making the music for himself, whether there is an audience for it or not… and it creates something that seems less bound to sample-based, beat driven productions that there is just too much of.

Now back to the actual record. “Nature Boy” is just an absolutely gorgeous record full of textures and moods where electronic and organic sounds meet. But he describes it ever better: “I’m not religious,” Guerra explains. “Nature is the only thing I really believe in. The sun and water are the two things that I find worth worshipping. There’s nothing without the sun, and there’s nothing without water.”

Also, highly recommended reading: Flako describes his new record track by track for The Clash magazine (link)

Lexis

Montreal-based DJ and the founder MusicIsMySanctuary.com (2007) and 24 Hours of Vinyl (2011).