Pachyman unveils his final taste, “Sale el Sol,” from his forthcoming album ‘Switched-On,’ set to drop this Friday, September 29th via ATO Records. During the creative process of Switched-On, García found inspiration in the sounds of Lovers’ Rock-era reggae and the legendary Studio One Records catalog—an influence evident in his earlier releases, “Goldline” and “Trago Coqueto.” “Sale el Sol” continues to embrace this stylistic thread with its deconstructed rhythm and consistent vocal pattern.
The single comes alongside an accompanying video, directed by Owen Summers, featuring Pachyman embodying the movement of the music. Speaking on embracing traditional Caribbean sounds, Pachyman shares, “We have a very good sense of wanting to move and knowing how to play music that moves us. So that seeps into the music.”
Though based in LA, Pachy García’s music is immersed in the world of the Caribbean, with the basis of his sound being derived from his native home in Puerto Rico. Laced with nostalgia, Switched-On pulls from the island’s musical scene in the 1990s, when Puerto Rico was embracing new-wave Jamaican riddims which were later combined with traditional Boricua sounds. In keeping with the themes of sentimentality, Pachyman uses his Korg Poly-800 to pay homage to a generation of Puerto Rican artists who first began experimenting with synthesizers, all the while allowing his music to ebb and flow.
His previous album, The Return Of Pachyman (2021) is more of a direct response to the sounds of his musical heroes, especially King Tubby and Scientist, and on the new album, Pachyman wanted to move his art forward while simultaneously honoring his roots looking to embrace more of himself vs. trying to emulate others. He also pushes himself further vocally incorporating more of his own minimalist vocals for added texture.
Upcoming Tour Dates
9/26 – New York, NY @ The Sultan Room
10/3 – Hollywood, CA @ Amoeba Music (In-Store/Signing)
10/27 – New Orleans, LA @ Toulouse Theatre*
10/29 – Austin, TX @ Levitation Festival at Empire
10/30 – Dallas, TX @ Ferris Wheelers Backyard and BBQ*
11/8 – San Diego, CA @ Music Box*
11/9 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco*
11/10 – Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall*
11/11 – Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre*
11/14 – Seattle, WA @ The Neptune Theatre*
11/15 – Vancouver, BC @ The Commodore Ballroom*
11/17 – Portland, OR @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom*
12/1 – Auckland, NZ @ The Others Way Festival
12/2 – Brisbane City, AU @ Seasonal Fruit Music Festival
12/5 – West End, AU @ The Twin
12/7 – Gold Coast, AU @ TBA &
12/8 – Sunshine Coast, AU @ TBA &
12/10 – Victoria, AU @ Meredith Music Festival
12/11 – Thornbury, AU @ Shotkickers
12/12 – Sydney, AU @ Gallery Bar
About Pachyman
For his latest sonic transmission Switched-On, musician Pachy García, aka Pachyman, challenged himself to steer his dub-drenched dispatches towards another dimension. The follow-up to 2021’s The Return of Pachyman, out Sept 29th on ATO Records, Switched-On is an homage to the generative artistic era when musicians first began manipulating synthesizers to emit gloriously off-kilter bleeps, bloops, and whooshes. It also gestures to García’s chirring Korg Poly-800 analog synthesizer that forms the spine of these songs, particularly the effervescent electronic interlude “Mi Sala.” Tunes like “You Looked at Me” fuse a mesmerizing, Krautrock-esque beat with synth musings reminiscent of bands such as Boards of Canada and García’s own minimalist vocals for added texture. His ear for expansiveness comes through the winking “Trago Coqueto,” a cheeky love song crooned through the prism of a cocktail that’s named after a flirty lemon-ginger drink. In a uniquely Pachyman twist, it acts as a poignant ode to his life growing up in Puerto Rico. It couldn’t be a more fitting testament to Switched-On’s ethos, which meditates on García’s conviction to move his art forward while simultaneously honoring his roots.
