Pachyman is the vintage tropicalia/ bright dub / indie roots moniker of the Puerto Rican/ LA-based musician Pachy Garcia. The music on his latest album, Another Place, feels like it’s from another time or the mid-1970s; when artists like the Jamaican king of dub, King Tubby, would dominate the airwaves.
Although Another Place offers a modern twist through expert mixing, dabbling into warbling psychedelic grooves, perhaps giving a snapshot of where dub music can go. As you picture a hot baked beach slowly coming into blurry view during “Calor Ahora,” Another Place becomes a very cinematic album.
“Berlin” begins with a reverberating drum line and shaker as a warm keyboard makes itself known. A little guitar line here and some auxiliary percussion there, and you’re deep in the Pachyman dub vibe. “False Moves” gives a bit of post punk flair with its motorik bass line and echoey vocals and then jumps into the synthy movie soundtrack interlude “Strikes Back.” I usually grow pretty accustom, yet quicky tired of dub records based on their simplicity and repetitiveness, but Another Place keeps me coming back for more.
I wonder if Pachyman will revitalize these songs and the dub sound even more with a band for Montreal Jazz Fest, or come with more of a DJ vibe. We shall wait and see!
