A.CHAL is the alias of LA-via-NYC DJ/producer/rapper Alejandro Chal.

As we said when we premiered ‘Dirty Mouth’ in December, A.CHAL works in the “drugged-out space between based hip-hop and off-kilter club music.” That hasn’t changed: his Ballroom Riots EP borrows the bleak, weary aesthetic of The Weeknd; the “daddy issues and cognac” vocal sample that pops up on several tracks is instructive.

Sonically, the EP ranges from the spacey, funhouse hip-hop of ‘Touch Me Like I’m Famous’ to the punchy, club-wise ‘Lost In The Shadows’. However, A.CHAL is wearing a lot of hats here, and it’s a heavy burden that leaves the EP uneven at times.

Watch the video for the title track and stream the EP below; download it via Mediafire.