From the depths of Lima’s thriving experimental music scene comes Mauricio Moquillaza’s self-titled debut, a sonic journey that dances on the tightrope between control and chaos. Crafted entirely on a modular synthesizer, these four tracks feel less like compositions and more like living entities, born in the moment and forever irreproducible.

Moquillaza approaches the modular synthesizer not just as an instrument but as a collaborator, embracing its capricious tendencies with the steady hand of a seasoned improviser. As a bassist and founder of the Deshumanización collective, his roots in free improvisation and noise are evident, yet here they morph into something more meditative - an intricate latticework of pulsating sequences, jagged noise, and fleeting melodies.

The album opens with "-" (titles reduced to minimalist markers, as though language itself can’t contain these sounds), a sprawling piece that feels like a modular orchestra tuning itself into existence. Layers of percussive pops and sine-wave murmurs gradually evolve, conjuring images of alien landscapes and clockwork machinery.

Track two, "--", ventures deeper into abstract territory. Amid static crackles and fragmented melodies, there’s an almost tactile quality to the sound - Moquillaza’s sequences feel as though they could slip through your fingers like sand. Think Morton Subotnick jamming with Alessandro Cortini in a rainstorm of circuit boards.

The third track, "---", is the album’s magnum opus, clocking in at over 11 minutes. It’s a journey through light and shadow, where hypnotic loops give way to bursts of noisy chaos. Here, Moquillaza’s mastery of pacing shines: he allows each motif to bloom and decay with organic precision.

Finally, the closing piece, "----", is a delicate farewell, its melodic fragments flickering like candlelight against a backdrop of textural hums. The tension between control and spontaneity reaches its peak, leaving the listener suspended in the liminal space between expectation and surprise.

While the modular synthesizer has seen a global renaissance, Moquillaza’s approach feels distinctly Peruvian - rooted in a DIY ethos and a commitment to exploring uncharted sonic territories. His work also reflects the growing modular movement in Peru, where new aesthetics and practices are emerging alongside the resurgence of analog tools.

Mixed by Christian Mun and mastered by Simon Davey, the album’s sound is both raw and polished, allowing every nuance of Moquillaza’s improvisations to shine through. The striking artwork by Aaron Julián mirrors the music’s minimalist yet intricate nature.

Limited to 300 vinyl copies, this release by Buh Records is both a treasure and a testament to the boundless possibilities of modular synthesis.

Recommended if you enjoy Keith Fullerton Whitman, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, or the untethered experimentalism of early Subotnick.