It was about 10 years ago that fLako crossed a threshold, sending us a breadcrumb to the source of his sound. At the time, he was already well on his way to an undeniable path of production when he decided to make the change. Was it something missing or a signal of some departure? One would argue neither. It was more of an awakening when Natureboy clarified his style through an evolution of his stage name. To the familiar, it was a recognition of his sonic connection to the real world and we were all nodding in agreement.
By 2015 when he made the switch, fLako had already released a number of mature signature works. On First Spaceshit On the Moon, his tracks had a clear sound rooted in hip hop beats but filled with waves of emotion. Tracks like “Yeah Yeah Yeah” and “Colours of Love” carry infectious grooves with characteristic synths. And others like “Cryin’ On the In” showed a complexity revealing there was something altogether unique in his delivery method. It garnered the attention of many. And within two years later, some of the tracks were being re-released on the illustrious Project:Mooncircle label as The Mesektet.
Flako continued to keep us on our toes as he continued his productions. He introduced more depth with lyrical contributions from Dirg Gerner on the somber but lovely “Lonely Town” or the lustful “I Need You”. In reality, this was just another opportunity for expansion where he explored the possible. It’s unclear why fLako felt the need to hide behind a moniker like Gerner. It really didn’t matter because his vocal additions just work.
In 2015 it was a game changer. Natureboy was released around the same time he was laying down the stamp of his full name. At that time, I was traveling by train to Aguas Calientes entering that mysterious land of the Inca. Immediately when listening, I was transported with the indigenous undertones of this record and its incredible blend of the old and new. Was this my auditory ceremony released by ayahuasca dreaming? It sure seemed so because it was too easy to get lost within these magical creations. One can only hope that the University of California can find a way to deliver permanent states of higher consciousness from their research of the active ingredient DMT. If so, maybe we can all realize more behind the beauty of this recording.
Now in 2024 almost a decade later, fLako releases From the Vaults. It is a package of what he calls “a curated journey through lost and forgotten material pulled from his archives, offering unreleased gems, alternative versions, and fresh mixes of fan favorites.” Once again, he knows what works as he has put good thought into the symmetry of this release. “Tonight” is worthy of this LP lead-in as it hits you with a kick-ass beat. Thanks, I needed that. Then, he breathes life back into previous works like “Shipibo Icaro (Part Three)”. Here the Inca Mayocs are celebrating a modern reincarnation. Keep bouncing through this release to find more rare gems, like “JPCR” and “Lelele” to experience that the rest of the party is still going on. There are plenty of reasons to feel optimistic of the future with this release because it lets us all know that Natureboy has much more story yet to tell.
Track Listing:
1. Tonight 02:45
2. Shipibo Icaro (Part Three) 03:40
3. Come Back As A Flower (Revive Mix) 03:00
4. Numero Cien 02:32
5. Too Soon (Revive Edit) 03:10
6. Sick & Tired 02:31
7. Andar Y Volar (Revive Edit) 02:40
8. JPCR 02:19
9. Clash 02:04
10. Vortex Cookie (Revive Edit) 03:16
11. Screw 02:23
12. Lelele 02:32
13. Rucka Ruck 03:20
14. Limbo 03:21
15. Jekyll & Pride 03:31
16. Inside (Revive Edit) 02:22
17. Blurry Dream 02:29
18. Cabroncito 03:55
Listen here.
