DJ Python: Mas Amable review - 'deep reggaeton' pioneer mines lithe beats for heart and feet

From dembow’s influence on Justin Bieber’s Purpose to the rise of international reggaeton superstars J Balvin and Bad Bunny, tresillo rhythms have been a dominant force in pop for a few years now. Dancehall and reggaeton have featured more and more across the global electronic underground circuit, too – yet even here, the music of “deep reggaeton” pioneer Brian Piñeyro stands alone. Producing and DJing as DJ Python, he combines the swinging percussion of reggaeton with deep-house chords and ambient techno textures. It’s a concoction that seems so natural and almost obvious in retrospect, though that notion owes itself to the quality of Piñeyro’s lithe compositions. With an EP, remixes and considerable touring experience in between, this new record follows his 2017 full-length debut to plunge even deeper into the sound.

Structured like a mix, Mas Amable is an album meant for listening all the way through. Piñeyro refers to it as a soup, cooked by taste rather than recipe. This analogy rings true from its beatless beginnings to the various elements intuitively stirred in or stripped out along the way, defining sections beyond the tracklist’s delineations. The record’s first beat is introduced on scratch-heavy roller Pia, then inverted into a teetering stutter on its successor. Introspective, ensnaring lead single ADMSDP features ASMR-like susurrations from guest vocalist LA Warman, rumbled only by the introduction of a bassline reminiscent of Voices from the Lake. Cohesive and seamless, Mas Amable reaches the heart of the rhythm and the soul of the drum, aspiring to a meditative quality and tranquility that almost feels sacred.