Kide EP by Judy (remix by Max Gardner)

Peer’s eighth release is one that will not be soon forgotten. The Bay Area techno imprint proudly presents Kide, a four-song EP by Spanish DJ and producer Judy. His thought-provoking style of electronic music fits perfectly on the label, whose artistic vision extends to increasingly obscure corners of underground music.

Setting the EP up is “Ezegonkorra,” a cut whose sound design elements shine through an artful patina like that of an old film. Dusty chimes ring out to form a scattered melody from a seemingly distant point of origin as tension builds layer by layer. A rattle effect following the breakdown foreshadows what is to come as the EP unfolds.

“Begi Bedeinkatua” takes the effort in a more hypnotic direction. Scarce are its changes, and seldom does it deviate from the rhythm introduced at the beginning of its five-and-a-half-minute runtime. Something stirs in it nonetheless. “Begi Beduinkatua” uses a mere few pigments to paint a vivid and unsettling mental picture.

By comparison, “Kristalezko Atea” follows a maximalist approach — but to similar effect. Disharmonic plucks form the sonic centerpiece of its arrangement, with eerie atmospheres swarming around the stereo image like specters orbiting their host. The patient listener is rewarded when their howls reach a crescendo toward the end of the track.

Included on the EP is an mind-bending remix of “Ezegonkorra” by label head Max Gardner. A familiar rattle ushers in the concept, with an alien groove bubbling up through slivers of negative space. Familiar tones make a second appearance. They sound even farther away this time around.

With every release, Peer adds another rich shade to the complex emotional palette of its discography. Judy’s contribution is as vibrant as any. He and the label share a vision best expressed through frequencies that echo through the catacombs of counterculture.

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