Caro Arroba-Fate; No Sides Records cassette, 2025

 

One aspect of music that Disaster Amnesiac will never tire of is that of playfulness. As opposed to being yelled at or lectured, things that evince more and more even as their odiousness increases over time. To quote Thomas G. Warrior on the great Celtic Frost album Cold Lake: "seduce me tonight". Or perhaps just give my feet a reason to move or my mind some shades that are more bright. These notions are brought up in regards to Ecuadoran born and Chicago-based Caro Arroba and her recent cassette release on No Sides Records, Fate. Caro Arroba presents sounds on this tape that will most definitely want a listener to stand up and shake dat azz, especially on the near thirty minute opener Ohio. It starts with a pretty simple footwork beat and then proceeds to add various sound additions and subtractions over its entire duration. If one sticks around for the whole thing they are treated to a fascinating coda-like section that turns the beat around with the most effective of skill. This is Techno Psychedelic jam that just slays for so long. It moves the mind with as much aplomb as it does the feet. Listen closely for frequent events of sound nature that will tantalize, even as you boogie. The second track, On the Edge, is a piece that pulls from the Dub side of the Dance Music world. Its first half has a quite paired down nuance, almost murky at times. Percussive voices poke around and out of a compressed patina. Eventually the tones emerge with more clarity, a bass drum kicks in on the quarter notes as some kind or horn is blasted. It's the second track on Fate and its second confirmed banger.  The cassette's shortest song clocks in at just under thirteen minutes and it's titled Tender. Crisp rim shots punctuate an incessant four on the floor bass pattern. From this interaction some very tight syncopation arises. Disaster Amnesiac probably needn't mention how much of a mover of a dance track it is, except I will. Just as with the other two songs on Fate it will most likely get you movin', and if you can't that's just a problem that you've got to deal with.  Grab it while you can, it plays hard and fun, and ain't nothin' wrong with that.