Bleep

Antiguo Automata Mexicano (AKA Angel Sanchez Borges) hails from Mexico and 'Microhat' refers (overtly at least) to nothing but itself, although its deeply textured style renders Mexicano a perfect addition to the Background roster. As with many of the label's releases, it seems ludicrous to call it a dance or minimal album. Oh sure, the requisite 4/4 does reliably chug along in many tracks but Microhate's best appreciated as a 'listening' experience above all else. And, like other Background releases, you won't hear pounding beats but rather nuanced techno that buoyantly floats alongside billowing swirls of incessant activity (the sweetly swaying title track a perfect case in point); with its prominent bass drum and deeply slithering bass lines, Banquet is the singular instance when Microhate flirts with straight 'dance' techno. Texturally it's closer to the best of the shoegaze guitar scene of the 90's, but it avoids any of that scene's obvious ambience with a stark minimalist feel - recommended!