Orquesta

Chile is a tall, thin country. It stretches from pole to tropic. They have tons of sheep and mountains. Apparently they also have at least one composer who makes music the new-fashioned way; by piecing together a zillion little orchestra samples. Juan-Pablo Caceres is that man. His computer monitor is likewise tall and thin to display all the details of his music. 

“Orquesta” bypasses the usual union issues associated with human musicians and presents the distilled essence of virtual orchestra. Caceres handcrafts each facet of sound into quasi organic, lush works of art. 

They form the perfect blend of electro- and acoustic, new and familiar sounds. They stretch from Santiago to California (where he also spends time at CCRMA). 

If you’re a fan of the experimental/collage bands “The Books” or “Animal Collective”, or have an altar to Varese, Schaeffer, or Xenakis in your home, then this is one of the most spellbinding, must-have records you’ll hear this year. If not, then this is still terrific new music.