GUY FROM DOWNSTAIRS Vinilo y CD

Review: Those with a penchant for sleek Romanian minimalism are already locked in to the output of Guy From Downstairs. He is the latest in a long line of producers to emerge from that scene and has released on a range of labels before kicking off his own GFD outlet. This is a repress of its latest outing. Same Hood EP Part 2. The first two tunes are next to Nu Eau - 'Den Sing' is all bubbling bass and supple lines with a tripped-out cosmic feel, then 'Vibe Shift' gets more gritty with its basslines while smooth chords soothe the soul. Nu Zau then goes it alone on a kaleidoscopic cut awash with melody. He goes solo to close down with the rasping and rolling 'Enerjaeo'.

Review: Guy From Downstairs is one of the seemingly endless supply of Romania producers who can serve up slinky tech sounds. He's released on a range of labels before kicking off his own GFD outlet which is where he appears this time out. The first two tunes are next to Nu Eau and 'Den Sing' is all bubbling bass and supple lines with a tripped-out cosmic feel, then 'Vibe Shift' gets more gritty with its basslines while smooth chords soothe the soul. Nu Zau then goes it alone on a kaleidoscopic cut awash with melody and Guy From Downstairs closes down with the rasping and rolling 'Enerjaeo'.

Review: Quirky and lo-fi minimal moods from the Pirka label, successfully blending four tracks from various artists in their repertoire as far-flung as speed garage, deep house, and broken beat. Glitchingly restless come tracks like Hendriks Toth's 'Pescado Y Limon' and Jorge Savoretti & Lulla's 'Zoot', both of which we consider to be highlights thanks to their impressively slick and agile production quality and swing. The tunes by Guy From Downstairs and Unknown Collective are no less beguiling, spanning crossrhythmic pulses to speedy hat-clap hypnotizers.

Review: Bucharest-based producer Guy From Downstairs is ten years deep in releases at this point, having graced the likes of Robsoul, Neostrictly and Pleasure Zone in recent times. Fresh from a razor-sharp collab with Nu Zau, he sidles over to Rawax for a blissful trip through emotionally charged club tracks ranging from deep, bumping house to fluttering electro. 'Time Is Short & Love Is' pins you down with its fulsome bassline, but there's plenty of space for shuffle and slide in the smooth, seductive groove. Meanwhile 'Kitkat Sessions' comes on with more than a little influence from the glory days of ambient techno and electronica thanks to its skittering drum machine programming, expansive pads and melodious acid lines.