Premiere and Q&A: Hear Reeko’s New Architectural LP in Full
The Spanish producer's latest full length lands on Wolfskuil Records today.
Spanish producer Juan Rico (a.k.a. Reeko) will follow up his 2015 release La Metamorfosis—released via Mental Disorder and inspired by Franz Kafka’s novel—with Amour, a new LP under his Architectural moniker.
Highly detailed and cinematic in its approach, Amour is a beautifully towering album that ebbs and flows from dense ambient excursions through to hard-hitting techno structures. Within its eight tracks, Rico has created a monolithic sonic realm filled with futuristic synth textures, thumping machine-driven rhythms, and soaring choral backdrops, all wound together with surgical precision.
To find out more, XLR8R fired a few questions to label head Darko Esser (a.k.a. Tripeo) and Rico, who also offered a full stream of the album.
The new Architectural album, Amour, is the first release by Juan on Wolfskuil Records, how did the this collaboration happen? What’s the story behind Amour finding a home on Wolfskuil?
Juan: Well, it’s not so difficult to tell because we’re in the same collective, and when I had finished the album I felt more comfortable sending it to a label close to me, I wanted to try on a label I hadn’t released on before and I sent to Darko and he liked it! Certainly, it was good choice!
Darko: I know Juan quite well, because we are both members of Pole Group and became friends this way. I’m a big admirer of his work, so when he sent the album to me I was all ears. Amour completely blew my away when I listened to it. The record reveals its secrets when you listen to it from start to finish. Exactly what I’m looking for in this format. I didn’t have to think twice about it and (in all honesty) it’s my favourite album of 2015. I’m honored to release such a special record on my own imprint.
Juan, tell us more about the new album from your own perspective—was Amour always conceived as an Architectural release, and as an album distinct from your other work? When and how was it created? Is there an underlying theme that connect the tracks with the title Amour?
Juan: One day I saw a picture of my girlfriend’s hand with a bright white background, in that moment—I don’t know why—but I could hear the sound of my new album, bright and full of life! Of course, it’s really different compared to other albums, but that’s love! I thought that Architectural would be the best way to represent a sound like that. All this happened around early 2015. All tracks connect with the title Amour.
Darko, Amour is only the second full-length album on Wolfskuil, preceded by your own 2009 album debut as Darko Esser. Are there any more long-player plans outlined for the label?
Darko: I definitely got a taste to do more albums in the future. I’m talking to key artists from the label about their plans for albums as we speak, but I don’t have actual album releases in the schedule yet. I think this will organically change along the way and is only a matter of time.
Any other noteworthy upcoming projects on Wolfskuil or its sublabels Balans and Wolfskuil Ltd?
Darko: I’m very excited about the 2016 schedule wich includes releases from Bas Amro, Discrete Circuit, Rumah, Nettling, Shlømo, Najem Sworb, Cadans (all Wolfskuil and Wolfskuil Ltd) and ROD, Drafted, and 30Drop (all BALANS). Each and every artist has his own distinctive sound signature, wether it be industrial techno, more traditional 90’s sounding, melodic Detroit techno or even flirts with house and electro.