Nicolas Duque – Lonewolf 019

The Colombian producer Nicolas Duque has been a clubland chameleon these past few years. He started his career turning out pitch-perfect UK garage but has been getting darker and more introspective with his brand of low-slung tech house. His latest release for underground favourites EYA Records is his most refined take on after hours anthems. ‘Fiery Depths’ is filled with slanted synth lines, while claustrophobic arpeggios cascade across ‘Panic Stage’. But the real bomb is ‘Consciousness Energy’ — it starts slow and chuggy with an array of bad trip bleeps and squelches, but halfway through a cascade of chords washes through the track, as if emerging from a k-hole.