Gunsal Moreno, the Barcelona-based producer known as beGun, has released his full-length debut, Amma. Capping off an impressive run of EPs and mixes, in his first LP, beGun abandons both the coarser, clubbier elements of his first releases and the explicit city-bound concepts driving them. Hence, if he broke through with a series of EPs inspired by the titular Madrid, Shanghai, and San Francisco, then in Amma he foregoes all prosaic urban references for a sound recalling the Southern shores of the Mediterranean. Inspired by Africa but not through direct musical allusions (despite each song taking the name of an African city), beGun’s first LP is subtly global but unmistakably Balearic, more refined and understated but still danceable and emotionally moving.
beGun is one of the rising members of the (loosely defined) Spanish electronic scene, sharing sonic traits with fellow Iberian artists like Pional, John Talabot, and even Delorean. However, what distinguishes Gunsal Moreno is his interest in letting his music acquire a distinctive roaming character. He’ll craft similarly festive and chill landscapes as his peers, but dropping samples of African chants (“Dora” off Amma), organic and native percussion patterns (“Mobasi Pt. 1”), and field recordings that seamlessly blend into the nocturnal vibe of tracks like “Libok.” Not to mention a strong commitment to social issues.
Amma is accompanied by a series of videos based on the experiences of African women who traveled to Europe to find themselves trapped by sexual exploitation networks. Stream the clip for “Kelle” above.
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