- Well-executed rhythm tracks from an exciting talent on the rise.
- Melbourne's Roza Terenzi stands out as a rising talent because her work presents a developed, unified vision. Things like processing drums, EQing, mixing down and compression can be learned, and engineering techniques are most effective when they're working in the service of the actual ideas. Terenzi has always had those. Her earliest releases were charming house beats often filled out with loops of famous breaks or vocals from popular free sample packs. Let's Ride, her first record of 2019, is out on Dekmantel, the biggest label she's appeared on yet. It's the most competent execution of her dreamy electro-breakbeat-house sound.
There's a clarity to the drums on Let's Ride that allows Terenzi to do more with less. Full bars of "3IY" groove on hi-hats passed through delay, while parts of "Freak N Tweak" get by on snares doused in reverb. She's able to recreate electro's skittering slink on "3IY," or a breakbeat's swung roll on "Bricks," without familiar drum loops doing the heavy lifting, which adds her own character. It also frees up room, making her productions richer and more spacious. This makes the music sound undeniably new, which is a good thing—her creativity might otherwise get drowned in referential nostalgia. Sure, there's a sputtering break somewhere on "Open Me," not to mention what sounds like one of those junglist vocals. But it's only there to color the shuffle while other sounds command attention, like the "ah-ah" melody, rolling toms and the high-end percussion added to the break.
The one-shots, instruments and effects are panned more obviously on Let's Ride than on previous releases, which gives the audio a 3D-like effect. The pad on "Bricks" shows Terenzi's "breezy" side, lulling dancers into a gently rocking rhythm. Terenzi's ideas are the strongest and most attractive aspects of her music. Technical maturity just helps to put a unique stamp on her sound.
TracklistA1 3IY
A2 Bricks
B1 Freak N Tweak
B2 Open Me