Pablo Gomez Bate
“Conflicto Belico”
When listening to “Conflicto Bélico” (War Conflict) we can immediately contextualize the situation
of the country in the album’s first track, a track that evolves and begins to distance itself from
external discourse, while unveiling its own story through noise, tension and depth.
Over the course of the LP, we are offered ambiences of constant sounds achieved through low
frequencies, generating a contrast with the high and rhythmic frequencies present through much of
this work. The rhythm develops in an imprecise way, with the beginning marked by the absence of
a beat, and when it appears it is not repetitive, it is only used as a gesture that disappears
among other elements. The lack of beat generates uncertainty for us as we wait for possible
cinematographic elements, suspenseful ambience and sound landscapes that produce a feeling of
hoping for something, while generating an anxious tension in the environment set forth.
As we approach the middle of the disc, the first melodic elements appear, allowing the sound
developed by Pablo Gómez Bate to approach a dreamlike state. The calm after the storm with an
ascent to the hopeful, demonstrating an excellent handling of the intensities that appear.
At the listening’s end, the same timbres and protaganistic frequencies from the first compositions
remain present, hinting that the total work can be considered as chapters telling us a complete
story that leads us either by reason or consequence to reflective and meditative states.
This creation shows an exhaustive exploration of timbres and various sound sources, including
samples, synthesizers, acoustic and organic sounds. Compositions made over low heat, allowing
the author to test and polish each track until everything was in its right place.
M4u (René Roco + Polwor)
(Santiago, Chile, mayo / May 2020)