Concrete Husband Explores Heartbreak and Liberation on Debut Album ‘Piel’
Concrete Husband, the multifaceted Brooklyn-based producer, DJ, and composer Carlos Aguilar, sets the stage for his debut album Piel with two striking new singles: “Piel” and “Ven Aqui.” Scheduled for release on December 6 via White Owl Records, Piel unfolds in two contrasting acts, mirroring the duality of Aguilar’s artistic persona. The title track, “Piel,” is a mesmerizing display of ethereal electronic craftsmanship, interwoven with Aguilar’s conservatory-trained flute mastery—a skill that’s earned him coveted opening slots for avant-garde luminaries like Bendik Giske and Eartheater. Meanwhile, “Ven Aqui” pulsates with raw, groove-heavy techno energy, showcasing the propulsive, multi-deck DJing that has solidified Aguilar’s status in NYC’s underground club scene.
Concrete Husband’s debut album brims with emotional resonance, diving into deep introspection and explosive release. The album’s first half finds Aguilar grappling with the aftermath of a tumultuous relationship, its emotional weight evident in tracks like “Piel” and “Esperanza.” These pieces juxtapose surface-level beauty with a core of dissonance, unraveling the fragility of his former self. “Despedida” and “La Primera Vez,” on the other hand, steep listeners in sheer darkness, delivering a hazy meditation on heartbreak and self-reclamation. Aguilar reflects, “Everyone else thought my relationship was perfect, and in my own fantasy, so did I—but it was violent. He was lost, and I was lost too. Piel is me coming back to myself.”
The second half of the album shifts gears, embodying a fiery extroversion and visceral liberation. Here, Concrete Husband dives headfirst into primal, body-driven techno. Tracks are built for tension and release, pairing industrial soundscapes with hard-hitting rhythms. Aguilar’s masterful four-deck mixing drives the intensity, layering alarming percussion and hypnotic grooves that evoke sweat-soaked catharsis. This is music made for the late-night dancefloor—a celebration of freedom and transformation. By bridging experimental sound design with raw techno grit, Piel charts the volatile, exhilarating terrain between emotional lows and physical highs.
Concrete Husband’s debut is as bold as it is vulnerable, capturing Aguilar’s personal rebirth in sonic form. Listen to “Piel” and “Ven Aqui” now, and preorder/save Piel ahead of its December 6 release on White Owl Records. To mark the occasion, Concrete Husband will take over Brooklyn Monarch’s The Wood Shop on December 12 for a special All Night Long set presented by The Ornate Project.
