QUELZA Schallplatten & CDs

Review: The Third Room concludes its so far excellent various artists series with a third and final instalment of yet more future-facing and heady cosmic techno. Justine Perry kicks things off with the deep space synths and paired back hypnosis of 'Diversion' while Hadone then bangs a little harder with 'Strain Relief' which has twitchy synth motifs and hard, hammering beats. HWRD's 'Mirage' is a buoyant techno bouncer with loopy synth ringlets all interacting with each other to mind-melting effect and Quelza's 'Domino' dips into deepest of dub techno territory to shut down a nice diverse EP.

Review: Quelza dropped a superb double pack in the form of their Les Malicieuses EP on More and now comes back with more deep techno brilliance. This is another bumper eight tack offering of well-crafted rhythms and deft atmospheres. 'And Suddenly, I Was Reborn' is an icy and unsettling opener with slithering synths and minimal drum sounds then 'La Rive' is quick, slick and ghostly in its vibes. There are also hi-fidelity and dubby cuts like 'Souviens Toi D'Oublier' gorgeously hypnotic pieces like 'He Didn't Say A Word' which float in space and rock back on forth on heady loops. An artful, impactful selection from Quelza.

Review: Smokey and mysterious Dutch dance from Immaterial.Archives, who here nail a sound that falls neatly in between something made by Burial and I.O Mulen. A compilation EP for the more nocturnal and detail-hungry listener, it includes Quelza's 'La Panthere Bleue', which contains guttural backalley groans and lighter-flicks; Eric Fletcher's control-room trancer 'Spiral 176'; 'Forma No Pura' by Oscar Mulero, with pressurized pink noise aplenty; and Divide's 'Nemesi', which judders and stop-starts like the cross-planetary calls of an alien race.

Review: Portugal's HAYES label clocks up a fifth EP here and once again takes us deep into a world of supple but subversive techno. It is a mix of artists who serve up the sounds with VIL's dancey 'Dothejazz' layering minimal synths and drums with potent bass rumbles. Norbak & Temudo then rock you back and forth on your heels as drunken synths evoke and adapt to the icy groove on 'Cloud Seeding.' VIL & Temudo then pair off for the more twisted 'Pampomaniac' and Quelza closes down with 'Arnold,' a whacked-out and skeletal techno rhythm that borrows from early jungle.