Amaringo 12”

Pinchy Don, the disc-jockeying purveyor of all things off-kilter, esoteric, eccentric, and left-field has been wobbling around the world with his singular sensibilities and releasing DJ’s-DJ mixes for years, and now he’s finally channeling the accumulated energy and color into a series of vinyl-only releases under the aptly named P&F RECORDINGS.

There couldn’t be a more perfect, fitting starting point for the endeavor than AMARINGO (a mysterious alias of synth extraordinaire JOHN CAROLL KIRBY) which is an homage to the deceased Peruvan Ayahuaska painter Pablo Amaringo, who’s art is featured on the cover.

Just like Kirby himself, a purveyor of left field exotica (who’s list of collaborators includes Sebastian Tellier, Solange, and Blood Orange – to name just a few), the release is simply too slippery and menacing to fit into any one genre bucket – as it rubberbands between blocky, percussive tribal stompers and lazy new age synth jams.

The opening tune, “Manto de Fuego (Clock of Fire),” is a heavy, plodding, party-starter that, accompanied by smatterings of reverberant, brassy horns, marches along on the one. Following it is a jazzier number, “Supai Rana (Spirit Frog),” all aqueous, rich bass figurations contrasted with bright, spongy synth cascades.

The flip is a more drawn-out affair, with “Yacurunas (Water People)” stretching past a ten-minute runtime and being a study in hypnosis through earthy hand-drum loops, marimba and pan flute flourishes. It starts bright but turns on its head as it morphs into another meditative dance floor stomper.

We finish the ride and tumble back into the station with “Angleles Avatares (Angel Avatars),” a tranquil, slo-mo twist on lo-fi tropicalia.