365 DAYS OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC IN 365 DAYS

Day 6: Beta — Boeing

Genres: Deep House / Chillout / Downtempo
Year: 2000
Country: Argentina

(This is completely a personal opinion. I’m not a musician and I don't have technical knowledge of music theory; I simply love electronic music and wanted to share this journey.)

To find music that carries that sense of electronic sophistication, you don't always have to travel all the way to Europe. It was only a matter of time before a Latin American album appeared in this journey.

Today's record is Beta, a Deep House album from Argentina that is deeply connected to a very special chapter of Latin American pop culture: Locomotion.

For those who remember it, Locomotion was much more than a television channel. It not only helped introduce adult animation and anime to Spanish-speaking audiences, but also supported graphic design projects, underground music, and alternative creative movements that rarely found space in mainstream media.

This is where Leonel Castillo enters the story. A DJ and producer associated with Dub, Minimal, and House music, Castillo released Beta under the alias Boeing—an album that I genuinely consider one of the most underrated records in Latin American electronic music.

Beta is built around classic 909-inspired drum patterns, atmospheric pads, deep basslines, and synthesizers that perfectly capture the sound of the early 2000s. It's the kind of album that naturally encourages movement. At times, I could imagine it playing in a stylish lounge or a hidden bar somewhere in a large city.

Inevitably, it reminded me of yesterday's album, Super Discount by Étienne de Crécy. The difference is that Beta feels like the product of a single creative vision, entirely crafted by Leonel Castillo.

And it's impossible to talk about this record without mentioning how remarkable the Argentine electronic scene has been over the years. From techno experiments infused with local cultural influences to artists pushing Minimal House and electronic music into new territory, Argentina has consistently produced fascinating work.

I listened to Beta late at night after finishing my workday, comfortably settled at home. It's one of those albums that invites both relaxation and movement at the same time.

Among all the tracks, "Humble," "Chillout," "Fiesta," and "Blanco" were the ones I enjoyed the most. Each brings a different flavor to the experience, making the album's full hour-long runtime feel effortless.

While listening to the album and thinking about Locomotion's legacy, I couldn't help reflecting on a feeling I've had many times before:

The strange curse of being born in the 2000s without truly getting to live through the 2000s.

I would have loved to witness the rise of urban subcultures before social media reshaped everything, the growth of anime culture across Latin America, the age of forums and fan communities, and those experimental projects created by young people for other young people.

When Locomotion ended its broadcasts, I was still just a child.

But albums like this feel like small windows into that era.

And what wonderful music accompanied it.

PERSONAL CONCLUSIONS

Latin America is an incredibly fertile landscape for discovering well-crafted electronic music.

Many of these projects received support from people, communities, and media outlets that genuinely believed in promoting underground culture and giving local artists a platform. Thanks to those efforts, many remarkable works continue to exist today.

You don't always need to look toward the world's biggest music capitals to find something special.

Leonel Castillo left me wanting to explore much more of his catalog. In a way, he also made me reflect on my own creative identity. I've always been strongly drawn to Japanese aesthetics, but when the time comes to develop my own projects, perhaps it would be worth embracing some of the Latin American influences that are also part of who I am.

I highly recommend giving Beta a chance.

You might discover for yourself what this album makes abundantly clear:

Latin America has no shortage of electronic music talent.

DAY 6 — BETA

Locomotion is not dead...

[ LISTEN TO THE ALBUM ]