A compilation of three latin-American EDM musicians, Tres 2.0 provides a look into the styles and identities of Calcast, CarlosAM, and Rasputan! Each providing two back to back tracks to showcase their talents on a 6-track release. While brief, the record gets straight to the point succinctly and is not meant to be heard as a unit; more so a show and tell of the aforementioned Djs.
First up, is Calcast with I want to Know Your Name and Vibes:
The former has subdued textures, industrial percussion, and a vocal line broadcasted throughout an Akira-esque cyberpunk dystopia. These ominous and nocturnal pulses show a promising start!
The ladder feels like we’ve traveled many layers underground to escape this technological-tyranny. This dark club we entered is filled with hypnotic sounds that reflect off the walls. Warm textures are filled with twists and turns that keep the listener on their toes.
Next up on bat, is CarlosAM with Love & Prosperity and That Strange Sound:
Taking a Reggae Dubstep approach, the first track is as chill as a beach in Jamaica. A repeated chant subliminally nulls the listener into a relaxed trance that not even landmine wubs can penetrate. It’s like being stranded on a cursed island in the middle of nowhere; Love it!
My favorite track, That Strange Sound starts out with ominous crickets and slowly foreboding riffs. Accompanied with voice samples questioning that strange sound, we embark upon an Indiana Jones-like adventure! I love how the bass wobbles as the riffs become more transparent the further we step down the dungeon. It’s like entering a temple maze filled with booby traps at every step.
Last, but certainly not least, we have Rasputan:
Beaming us into a cybernetic virtual world, Can’t Fuck With This Energy has punchy drums, interwoven wobble bass, and an auto-tuned voice resembling Will.i.am. The tune kinda sinks and floats like a low-tide wave and creates a stasis through repetition.
Vibing like the Jet Set Radio soundtrack, Main Attraction takes us to the back alley graffiti culture (that’s also somewhat carnival-ish). The whistles, snappy claps and snares, and rap sample accumulate into a rebellious techno atmosphere. Can we find a way to break out of this matrix?
Overall, there’s a lot of interesting textures and worlds from all three producers. However, there isn’t that much variety in their sound. Despite this, each song has notable elements and works well as a standalone. There’s music presented in the compilation has tons of appeal.
5/10