Autonomous EP by Aztekan

Los Angeles techno stalwart Aztekan has made his Peer debut with a body of work rich in suggestion. The Autonomous EP consists of five tracks that provoke thoughts about agency — and the peace of mind one must sacrifice to obtain it.

The first single, “Imposter,” makes it clear that this will not be your run-of-the-mill techno record. Cinematic sonics frame primal kickdrums at the outset of the arrangement before a cavalcade of hair-raising hi-hats layer in.

“Hostile Environment” follows with the nuanced sort of sound design characteristic of a Peer release. Antagonistic cackling noises echo through a sieve of filters and effects, underscored by hypnotic tones that tickle the cortexes throughout the runtime of the track.

The Autonomous EP reaches a fever pitch with the challenging song of its namesake. From the savage oscillations of its core motif to its purposefully programmed percussion, “Autonomous” serves its function well. Listening beyond its final bars is a must, however.

Intensity continues to rise in the aptly titled “Hectic,” at once dynamic and yet singular in its musings. The wide range of sonic artifacts ringing out across its stereo image align toward a common end, speaking to Aztekan’s expert ear as a recording artist.

“Cross Contaminate” seems to depict the arresting sensation of a cortisol spike — in the best way possible. It concludes the Autonomous EP with the same level of gravity that ushered it in. This time, though, a certain finality rings from its wistful throes, subperceptual as it may be.

Aztekan’s Peer debut demonstrates that the label continues to move forward, iterating upon its artistic statement with every release. Digging through its catalog, one thing becomes abundantly clear: The best years of the imprint have yet to come.

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