Customer Reviews

Chromophobia

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although plenty of people loved it, the recent double-disc compilation Total 7 on Kompakt left me wondering whether I was truly tiring of the whole Kompakt sound or whether the batch of tracks themselves simply weren't quite as exciting as they had been in past years. On that release, there was both a great solo Gui Boratto track, as well as a stellar Superpitcher remix of a track by Boratto that stood out as excellent.

It turns out that the excitement based on those two tracks was warranted, because this debut full-length album from Brazilian Gui Boratto is easily one of the most exciting albums that I've heard in some time on the stalwart label. Like the best of releases on Kompakt, the thirteen track album moves in shifty ways, sounding at times like it could fuel movement on the dancefloor while at others floating in near ambient realms. The fine line separating good, or even decent dance music from great dance music is a fine one, but Chromophobia has those nearly unexplainable intangibles that make it such an interesting listen.

"Scene 1" sets the stage with some repeated arpeggios and big bass strokes that build a sense of urgency without breaking into something that really cracks a sweat. "Mr. Decay" follows and it's ups the ante quite a bit with some hollow, rattling beats and an almost acid-tinged melody that's tweaked and tugged throughout the track while counter melodies swoop in and around before building into a fuzzy blowout.

The album is sturdy throughout, but really seems to pick up the pace about halfway through with the album-titled "Chromophobia." After opening with some juicy synth pads and static-crackled beats, the track morphs into a stunning piece with dextrous, rhythmic bass, and haunting drifts of what sounds like filtered strings. "The Blessing" is even better, launching into one of the fastest BPMs on the release, with spitfire beat programming that rattle around the stereo headspace like pinballs as a relentless bass arpeggio keeps pace underneath it all.

Boratto isn't above trying a few new things either, and "Xilo" is one of the more poppy songs on the release with almost western-sounding guitar strums and string synths while "Beautiful Life" introduces some subtle female vocals into the mix. With only a very few soft spots and so many high-points that it's hard to even touch on them on all in a short review, Chromophobia is a rare release that actually gets stronger as it goes on. It's one of the more vital dance releases that I've heard in some time and one of the best things that Kompakt has put out in a couple years. Joyous.

(from almost cool music reviews)

Guilherme Boratto is a Brazilian producer used to laying out minimal tech house twelve inchers for prominent German labels like Plastic City, Harthouse, and of course Kompakt's offshoots K2, Kompakt Pop and Kompakt Extra. Hailing from São Paulo, Gui was approached to contribute a remix to the City of God soundtrack. Chromophobia is a light and refreshing take on over-used building blocks of the style. Familiar beats, simple melodies, and straight to the point approach remind me of the feeling I experienced when I first heard Benny Benassi (before he exploded all over the charts). Listening to the album, a smile creeps upon my lips, being happy for the fact that techno continues to survive and evolve in an over-saturated scene. A unique and memorable sound.

Gui Boratto's "Chromophobia" is easily one of the greatest full-length albums from the Kompakt label. For the most part, it stays true to the Kompakt formula, while venturing off in new directions melodically. Boratto has always demonstrated a gift for combining lush harmonic material with his minimal techno beats - here I'm thinking of the Atol 12" - and "Chromophobia" provides many opportunities for him to showcase this.

There is a nice variety here. We've got melodic tracks such as "Scene 1", which opens the album with a dramatic flourish; we've got straight-forward techno tunes, such as the infectious "Shebang"; and we've even got an uplifting vocal piece ("Beautiful Life"). These various styles all cohere around Boratto's excellent beats. The percussive sounds fit his usual model of tight, defined sounds, often with a swung 16th note groove. If you're familiar with his other music, you know what to expect.

When an artist who usually releases 12" singles finally puts out an LP, you have to wonder what you're going to hear. Will it be four strong tracks surrounded by b-side-grade filler? Will it be more of a compilation of singles? In this case, the material is all new and, with a couple exceptions, all the tracks are very strong on their own. The album has nice pacing and even though it IS minimal techno, there's enough variety to maintain interest purely for listening.

Techno fans should check this out, as should anyone who likes Matthew Dear. It definitely reminds me of the best moments from "Leave Luck to Heaven". This album is sure to become a classic in its genre. I highly recommend it.

After reading other reviews on this album I was excited to hear it in hopes of discovering a new minimalist favorite. Sadly, this was not the case. While the album certainly is minimal, I found it lacking any real substance. That's not to say it's bad, because it isn't. It's simply okay. Gui Boratto is a Brazilian born DJ and producer on the German label Kompakt among several others. Chromophobia won MixMag's album of the month when it was released in 2007. Here are my track ratings;


1 Scene 1 5/10
2 Mr. Decay 6/10
3 Terminal 6/10
4 Gate 7 6/10
5 Shebang 5/10
6 Chromophobia 5/10
7 Blessing 6/10
8 Malá Strana 5/10
9 Acróstico 5/10
10 Xilo 5/10
11 Beautiful Life 4/10 (Catchy song, but too commercial for my tastes, sounds like a Target commercial)
12 Hera 5/10
13 Verdict 5/10


While I've never seen Boratto live I've watched several live performances and his sets were always great. I feel Gui's music sounds much better and has a greater dance influence on a large sound system. I don't think my headphones really did Chromophobia justice. As I was listening to it I kept thinking, "This sounds exactly like a Black Dog album." That's definitely not a bad thing, but I guess I was just expecting more.

I am a huge fan of Kompakt label. I feel that the music this label produces is basically what contemporary techno music is all about. To me it is an audio version of minimalistic modern art. This album from Gui Boratto is very intelligent, very innovative, very complex but somehow unbeliavebly easy to listen. And it just gets better after more listenings when the details and layers start to reviel. I get a deep emotional satisfaction every time I listen to it. This and the one from The Field are definitely the best techno albums in the world at the moment.

_Chromophobia_ shows that Gui Boratto is not simply a one-trick pony. From awesomely funky tech-house to more measured and thoughtful tracks, this album showcases Boratto's skills as a producer. Sure, he knows how to craft a fine stomp: "Mr. Decay" gets a nice deep groove going, which is only complemented by the plucky melodic line. "Terminal" has some more industrial tones running amok in it, showing Boratto can do harsh as well as pretty. The acid psychedelia of "Shebang" benefits from the funky breakdown in the middle of the track. If cool and dubby is your thing, then "The Blessing" will be right up your alley. But further out on the album, Boratto really gets to show off his stuff: the beatless "Mala Strana" and the more delicate "Acrostico" offer another side to the more pronounced, beat-driven tracks while the darkly melodic "Xilo" counterbalances hiss with some guitar work. "Beautiful Life" is as joyous and as poppy as can be, and it works. Similarly, "Hera" gets us back into upbeat territory. Boratto gives us no reason to fear colors whatsoever with this album.

How the HELL did the The Field's album get a higher rating than this cd? Do people not listen to electronic music? I felt freshness on this album from beginning to end. It was still an evolution of freshness, i.e. not the freshness i felt when i listened to Music Has the Right to Children, but in light of today this cd is amazing. I really can't imagine a context of a listener approaching this cd and not feeling satisfied, even my father who never listens to electronic music. The higher thought put into this albums progression is very impressive for something from Kompakt. It is heart-felt, not 4 to the floor this is what i must do. Kudos, the only criticism that i have is that it would have been nice to have experienced more variety in the electronic spectrum. The composition is wonderful, but it still does not fit the BOC level of creativity.

I'm a hard sell when it comes to electronica, trance or dance music. I only like "quote" the best in the genre. Sasha, Digweed etc. This guy could be the next great DJ/artist. This album has a little bit of everything; Down tempo, ambient, a dance floor hit (beautiful life). Its an ambient album that can make you move your feet. A great headphone trip listen.