Pelada - No Hay EP

Photo by Rebecca Storm
Well, I'm only two months late. It took me some time to get over the fact that this once-Montreal-based outfit, comprised of Chris Vargas on vocals and Tobias Rochman on analog synths, drum machines, samplers and FX, came to my attention just a little too late. After having spent the last two years igniting the after-hours warehouse venues of my hometown with their own breed of pervasive techno/punk, Pelada has now grown into a transnational sonic project, with one half (Vargas) now living in Berlin. Fortunately, the delay in writing has not diminished my excitement for the duo who released their debut maxi-single EP way back in January on Rochman’s label New.

With its dark and pulsating bass synth line, “No Hay” is nothing short than exhilarating. Vargas shouts that there is frankly no solution to our post-modern world problems in a recently reclaimed castellano. Growing up in a Colombian household with parents who insisted on teaching her English as her first language, Vargas uses language as more than a mere way to deliver her angry message; it serves as an instrument for the construction of her own identity. On “Ten Cuidado,” the single’s b-side, Vargas vocal punches are juxtaposed to the acid techno beat, constructing tension and anxiety as it progresses. Pelada is raw, rude and immediate, making it practically impossible not to fall for their hard-hitting and intoxicating first effort. Also, don't miss out on that club-ready remix of "Ten Cuidado" by JOCK CLUB (Temple, AZ).