Given the paradigmatic shifts and transient nature of today's music industry, full-length artist albums are an increasingly rare commodity in the world of the modern underground dance movement. When such rarities do come along, they are to be treasured and afforded the respect, attention and publicity they deserve. Thus, Proton Music is delighted and honoured to showcase the combined body of work that was a year in the making, reflecting the musical soul of Cristian R and his "New Frequency".

Born and raised in the Temperley province of Buenos Aries, off the western coast on the River Plate, Cristian Ramirez has forged an ever-evolving relationship with electronic music since his initial introduction in the late 1990s. Swayed by the sound of the hugely popular "Radio Energy", the Argentinean artist highlights the work of Danny Tenaglia and Deep Dish as early influences which extended to the current crop of industry taste makers in Nick Warren, Sasha and fellow countryman, Hernan Cattaneo. Making his production debut in late 2008 for Deepsessions Recordings via the "Lost City" EP, Cristian's ability to write coherent and exciting original production material became clear. Since then, an impressive selection of original and remix material has found its way on to some of underground music's most high profile labels in Lowbit, MNL and Flow Records. Fast forward to 2105 and the 3-track "Outer Space" EP for Cattaneo's own Sudbeat imprint, with fellow countryman Kasall, represented a notable career highlight for Ramirez. 2016 has continued to uncover a rich and prolific vein of form with over fifty production credits for highly respected labels, supported by such luminaries as Sasha, Digweed and Jimmy Van M.

A regular on Particles since 2014, the 2015, "Spaceship" EP provided the cornerstone of Ramirez's work. With both tracks reprised within his magnus opus for Proton Music, Cristian R's 20-track, "New Frequency", is a musical odyssey Homer himself would be proud of. Full of the majestic and trademark rhythmic foundations so fundamental to his work, tracks such as "Alphard", "Beach Resonator" and "Mental Medicine" display an acute understanding for the intricacies of percussive cadence and rhythm with their clicking off-beat patterns and swung hi-hat grooves. Others revel in strong dance floor beats and metronomic four-to-the-floor kick drums that become staple features of "Gravity", "Luxor" and "Dust of Fairy".

Rhythmic variations aside, a unifying feature of all twenty tracks is an understated melodic framework that encapsulates each work in a silky smooth sheen, enrapturing the listener with sumptuous arpeggios, richly textured pads and smooth warm delays. The swimming filtered lines of "Atmosphere Sunshine" that criss-cross the stereo spectrum, coupled with the rigid lines and Daft Punk style synths of "Floating", juxtapose against the liquid, freeform riffs of "Deimos" and the twinkling delayed ripples of "My Garden", reminiscent of Japanese electronic pioneer Isao Tomita who sadly died in 2016. Conjuring up evocative images through imaginative track titling, the ethereal "Astral Plane" and enchanting "Oasis of the Universe" sees Cristian R's extended body of work representing a frozen moment in time, revelling in intelligent production work that relishes the opportunity to cover a variety of genres and styles.

An album of extraordinary scope and production technique, Cristian R's "New Frequency" hits all the right notes.

Directed by Jay Epoch
A&R by James Warren
Mastered by Cid Inc.
Design by Ben Mautner
Text by James Warren

New Frequency

Atmosphere Sunshine (Original Mx)

Buy on Beatport

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