Juan Barallobres aka OUTRO, Argentine sound artist and producer based in Patagonia, visits us with a beautiful and versatile live set.
We talked with him about the performance, his recent tour across Europe, and the paths he continues to open from the south.
With an intriguing and performative approach, Outro blends modular synthesizers, acoustic signal processing, piano, and various types of synthesizers. His work moves naturally between experimentation and the dance floor, while also expanding into film and performing arts.
He is one of the founders of El Sello Rojo, a creative residency platform based in Lago Puelo (Patagonia, Argentina), where he and his team have produced more than thirty albums over the past few years.
Friofobia Live Session
This live session was recorded at his home in Lago Puelo, Patagonia, filmed by his friend Antonella Casanova during two intense weeks of creation —a period of rehearsals before his tour, intertwined with the production of Antonella’s own record.
The music performed here is directly connected to his 2024 album Friofobia, an ode to cold and wintry states of being, composed in December in southern Estonia at Massia, a former rural school turned creative residency.
The sound system used in this session mirrors the one he employed while composing the album: an approach centered on the manipulation of sonic matter, balancing high levels of improvisation with a conceptual framework that weaves the pieces together.
The setup is built around a modular system featuring two monophonic voices, processing and sampling modules, an electronic drum machine, and a polyphonic synthesizer. When the venue allows, he also integrates an acoustic piano, placing it at the center of the composition—exploring both its natural resonance and modular processing.
The main voice in the set comes from an Argentine oscillator called Gravedad, crafted by Olivella Modular—a handmade instrument distinguished by its depth and expressive sound.
Friofobia
An excessive and irrational fear or rejection of cold in all its forms.
One of today’s induced anxiety disorders, linked to the overvaluation of comfort, ease, and the illusion of safety.
Friofobia is closely related to the fear of the outside, darkness, emptiness, and mystery.
It has become a cornerstone of an imaginary that rejects all the mobilizing states associated with winter climates: depth, creativity, reflection, nostalgia, stillness, rest, discomfort, fear, self-examination, concentration, inquiry, realization, and ending.
Outro is currently preparing the official release of Friofobia, along with new projects under El Sello Rojo, the label and platform he co-founded in the Andes. His next performance cycle aims to expand this sonic universe to new cities and collaborations.
In 2025, Outro completed his second European tour, curated by his manager Marianella Balladan, with performances in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Berlin, Zurich, and Barcelona.
The journey allowed him to connect with inspiring sound and visual artists, and to perform for audiences deeply attuned to experimental music.
Within those contexts, he was able to move freely between noise, ambient, and dance-oriented compositions, finding ideal settings for listening, exploration, and improvisation.
The 2026 tour is already in planning.
Images and video: Antonella Casanova