Émanton is the Argentinian-based producer, electronic musician, and thereminist Dann Abala. After studying with synth maestro Ernesto Romeo, Abala began making his brand of dark, bass-driven techno under the moniker, as well as more ambient and experimental music with his project Turvia. Émanton joins Medical Records‘ techno-based label offshoot Transfusions on February 26th with his Post Tenebras Lux 12″.
Abala describes his sound as “hard esoteric/mystical/mega darkness,” and that definitely gets you in the door. Using a combination of analog gear and a modular set-up, the musician has an excellent ear for the various sonic textures of these instruments, as well as a flair for contrasting them as a way to build narrative.
“Circleofliez” starts with a sweltering morass of bubbling sound while a humid wind from the theremin blows in crazy circles. At almost a minute in, a deep kick adds a muggy vibe as the track’s more techno elements begin to take shape in this swampy cauldron of sound. But just before all this damp heat becomes claustrophobic, Abala counters the direction with a cold steady rain of snare-like percussion, while frigid pockets of droning fog add spine-tingling elements. Full of forwarding motion, “Circleofliez” continues to ratchet up the tension throughout, building the track’s narrative as increasingly industrial textures add an icy speed.
