Today, Pachyman — the musical project of Puerto Rican-born, Los Angeles-based musician Pachy Garcia — shares "Calor Ahora," the latest preview of his new album Another Place (May 23 / ATO Records). Listen to "Calor Ahora" here and preorder/save Another Place here.
"Calor Ahora" — which Pachy describes as "the backbone of the record" and the moment when he "achieved a new sound that I had never encountered in my music before" — is rippling, minimal dub that incorporates sparkling, alien synthesizers and a koan-like vocal.
“I journal a lot,” Pachy explains, “so I’m starting to realize that I get into cycles. Every December or January, at the turn of the year, I get back on trying to recreate the Channel One studio sound. Once the cold weather comes in, it’s always Reggae Christmas.”
“Calor Ahora,” which opens Another Place, is the bountiful fruit of this yearly tradition. “The words were taken from a journal entry I made when I was on the verge of an anxiety attack and felt this oppressive cold,” he shares. "I finally felt a sense of relief and started feeling more like myself."
He clarifies: “I know LA isn’t cold, but I’m from the Caribbean.” Watch the video for "Calor Ahora" — a goofy, direct-to-VHS-style send-up of LA noir mysteries — here. Another Place is Pachyman’s most daring project to-date, one that builds upon its forebears by leaning into the idiosyncratic elements lurking beneath previous projects. In doing so, it synthesizes the myriad scenes that have recontextualized the methods and aesthetics of dub — from pioneering synth-pop weirdos like William Onyeabor and Yellow Magic Orchestra to Basic Channel’s amniotic dub techno — into a sound that, while still anchored in dub reggae’s glorious walls of sound, is undeniably Pachyman’s own.
The video for Pachyman's previous single "In Love" — a track that imbues Pachy's signature dub sound with a joyful, egg-melting-on-the-sidewalk haze in the vein of Washed Out or Neon Indian — introduces a new quartet lineup that will debut on the upcoming Europe / UK tour dates: Pachy on drums and vocals, Javier Perez on guitar, Jordan Brooks on bass, and Diego Gaeta on keys. Watch the "In Love" video here.
Meanwhile, lead single "Hard To Part" is a skeletal drone workout that doubles as "a funky dub reggae love letter to Los Angeles" (Remezcla). KCRW called it "funky-spooky-cool" and put it at #2 on their Top 30 chart, adding: "ESG fans, take note." Watch the video for “Hard To Part” here.
Pachyman continues to take the alchemical, indelible sound of Another Place global. He just wrapped shows in New Zealand and Australia, as well as some North American dates with Darkside and an NYC festival performance at Indieplaza, a Record Store Day featuring The Hives, Scowl, Clipping., and Lifeguard.
However, following his imminent Europe and UK tour, Pachyman has also just announced his first-ever Mexican headlining shows. Full dates below — keep an eye out for more to be announced later this year.
"Calor Ahora" is out now, listen to it here.
Another Place is out May 23, preorder/save it here. 
TRACKLIST
Calor Ahora
In Love
Berlin
SJU
Take Me To Dance
False Moves
Strikes Back
Hard to Part
Another Place
ADSH
TOUR DATES
May 21: Hamburg, DE @ Knust
May 23: Stockholm, SE @ Hosoi
May 24: Gothenburg, SE @ Nefertiti
May 25: Copenhagen, DN @ Ideal Bar
May 28: Berlin, DE @ LARK
May 29: Munich, DE @ Import Export
May 30: Zurich, CH @ Moods
May 31: Antwerp, BE @ De Roma
June 1: Utrecht, NL @ De Nijverheid
June 3: Paris, FR @ Le Point Ephémère
June 4: Brighton, UK @ The Hope & Ruin
June 5: London, UK @ Jazz Cafe
June 6: Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade
June 7: Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade
June 20 - 22: Nelsonville, OH @ Nelsonville Music Festival
June 26 - July 5: Montreal, QC @ Montreal Jazz Festival
Sept 18: Mexico City, MX @ Foro IR (Sala B)
Sept 19: Guadalajara, MX @ C3 Rooftop
Sept 20: Querétaro @ Salón Salvaje
Stay connected with Pachyman:
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