Opera Mauve, by Tektra

Somber atmospheric lo-fi from Tektra, brought to us by No Agreements as part of their Digital Series.

The tracks are tasteful and unique – claiming to have been produced entirely in one weekend, there is a cohesive energy that flows throughout the project. Despite touching all over the electronic music spectrum, Tektra manages to keep grip on the reins, taming the sounds to suit their needs.

Camo is a wonderful opener, providing an instant introduction to the thick melancholy vibe housed in an energetic lo-fi house track. 9 Stretch continues the extrapolation of club sounds with an addicting shuffle beat – paired perfectly with burial-esqu vocal flourishes and wandering bass, all drenched in the perfect amount of reverb.

"A product of both Tektra and quarantine, Opera Mauve is an EP made in a single weekend overflowing with palpable feelings and visions."

The “B-Side” of the record opens with Pearl – where we find Tektra further fusing together elements of tech-house and future garage. Hi-hats and muffled claps propel the track forward, pulsing with the energy of syncopated kicks and bass. All leading up to the fourth and final track, Heart – which is a lush and hazy acid house exploration. It works wonderful as a closing track, representing the ideas of the EP completely – with it’s washed out vocal samples, generous use of reverb and occasional splashes of dissonance.

As mentioned in the album notes – Opera Mauve claims to be created by both producer Tektra as well as the quarantine itself. At this point, the overwhelming feeling of isolation and detachment that many people are feeling is beginning to manifest itself. With so many traditions and normals destroyed, it’s pushed artists into new territories of expression and performance. Whether it’s the introduction of livestream performances, or the chaotic artistic energy exploding out of a producer enough to bring a project from concept-to-completion in a matter of days – I am simply happy to see some good things coming from a dark situation.

You can pick up the digital album via No Agreements Bandcamp page, and don’t forget to explore Tektra’s other releases on their personal Bandcamp!