- After grabbing attention with an excellent 12 on Vinyl Club and a contribution to the first release of Romanian label Arpiar, Petre Inspirescu now makes his debut on Luciano's Cadenza imprint, with a four track EP of quite astounding quality. Despite Romanian producers emerging quite rapidly throughout techno over the last few months, this EP is perhaps the first time one of their number has appeared on a label with as wide a reach as Cadenza. And judging by the vastly different set of sounds used here, 'Tips' is also an EP which will mark out Inspirescu as one of the most exciting new producers around.
The A1 is 'Mostra', the first of four eleven minute tracks on this double vinyl release. It's a slow burning and hypnotic piece of house music, with serrated percussion and spliced zither-like melodies. The dazzling level of detail is bound to evoke comparisons to Luciano or Villalobos but it's plain to hear that Inspirescu has a truly distinct sound of his own. In fact, each of the four tracks here is different, each evoking that rare feeling that you are listening to something genuinely new.
B1 is 'Rackadoom', a slightly more uptempo track that's built around a warbling horn sample and time-stretched chattering voices. It's got the same shambolic almost goofy feel as 'Fizheuer Zieheuer' albeit with a structure that's a little more conventional. Following up on C1 is 'Galantar', perhaps the catchiest track of the four, and yet another departure in style. The percussion is almost disco influenced before a skewed and erratic bassline takes things forward to 2007. Then comes the "chorus": a woozy vocal hook drops in to give the track the feeling of warped pop.
Finally, as if the first three tracks weren't enough, Inspirescu gives us 'La Creme Bonjour', a deep and grooving piece of house music that's the most classic sounding track on the EP, and the closest thing to a peaktime record on this release. A smattering of psychedelic effects are layered over a bassline that almost sounds like a double bass, and organic, swinging drums.
Ultimately, you're left feeling that any one of these tracks alone on a 12" would be a pretty big deal. As it is, with four tracks that sound unlike almost any other artist, it's difficult to envisage many better releases than this in 2007. One thing is certain: we're all going to be hearing a lot more about Petre Inspirescu.
TracklistA Mostra
B Rackadoom
C Galantar
D La Creme Bonjour