Mapa – Ctrl+opt – Cassette

mapa from Angelo Fajardo (aka ctrl-opt), an acronym for “made a planet again,” perhaps insinuates that each of the ten featured tracks are sculpted sounds representing the formation of planets. An aptly titled album, and title track, that traverses a wide-angled lens of clicks, subtle cuts, and cool breaks—we’re in for a real treat. Its groove-shuffling and angular instrumentation kicks off on the Squarepusher-esque jazz outskirts of “fresh grown” and the spastic beatwork of “yolked” midway through. The album manages to expand and contract. Garage beats splinter on “content creature” as its overflowing melodic charm takes over. A technoid amalgam and house groove develops with “oxalone,” as ctrl-opt provides a chilled ebb and flow. These are definitely relaxed tracks that simply don’t let up. Taking us through its many peaks and valleys, mapa is a fully formed, flexible, and funky album and seamlessly closes with the short runtime furrow of “sesame 84,” perhaps the most tranquilized of the lot, and succinctly ends the proceedings. – Igloo Mag