Frankie Reyes

Going by the name Frankie Reyes, Los Angeles-based electronic musician Gabriel Reyes-Whittaker draws from Latin American traditions as well as contemporary composers. 2016's Boleros Valses y Más consisted of Puerto Rican standards played on an Oberheim synthesizer, a MIDI sequencer, and an effects unit, and 2020's Originalitos contained Reyes' own compositions performed on the same setup. Gabriel Reyes-Whittaker is best known for his abstract house releases as GB (Gifted & Blessed) in addition to other pseudonyms including the Abstract Eye and Julian Abelar, as well as his duo with Yeofi Andoh, the Steoples. He debuted the Frankie Reyes moniker with 2014's Technoindigenous Studies EP No. 1 (issued by his own Gifted & Blessed label), which combined atmospheric synth pads and light beats with echo-heavy samples of indigenous chanting. The debut Reyes full-length, Boleros Valses y Más, arrived on Stones Throw in 2016. With this album, he paid homage to his Puerto Rican heritage, performing traditional Latin American compositions on an Oberheim synthesizer. 2020's Originalitos drew from a similar sonic palette, but was made up of Reyes' original compositions.
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