Chaz (IN) – Soul Contract EP

In a climate where new techno producers often arrive heavily contextualised, Bangalore-based Chaz (in) appears with relatively little framing beyond the music itself. This first proper release marks a clear pivot from the industrial noise of his earlier work toward a more inward, mental strain of techno - and it's one that values pressure and physicality over excess detail. 'Hardwired' opens in clipped fashion, its hi-hats and bleeps tightening the groove by degrees. 'Sling Hook' follows with a driving, slightly vertiginous loop that nudges perception off-centre while staying resolutely functional. On the flip, 'Wiggle Room' turns feral, a dense lattice of percussion that flexes and breathes in close quarters. Closing cut 'Retroactive' cools the temperature, sketching a stark, post-human cityscape in shimmering synths and distant, wailing tones. It is body music with discipline, confident in its restraint.