Changing shape for their third outing, ZEROTHREE from Rome’s Black Shapes shifts away from the straight four-to-the-floor techno of the previous release m into something way deeper and more essentially elastic.
Layered dark, hypnotic ice white atmospheres
Changing shape for their third outing, ZEROTHREE from Rome’s Black Shapes shifts away from the straight four-to-the-floor techno of the previous release m into something way deeper and more essentially elastic. Dusty Work open the release with “Come for Three” in nine minutes of submerged bass and rolling low-end pulse. A crisp bottom ping anchors a beautifully arpeggiated topline that filters in and out, coiling and releasing tension. Distorted vocal fragments loop insistently, building intensity before the track opens into a weightless, almost cosmic drift. It’s disorienting in the best way—balancing depth and height with real finesse.
Oydet‘s “Circles” follows, beginning with thunderous ambience and minimal percussive clatter. Expansive synths stretch outward, creating a sense of vastness as the track builds like a slow ascent. Rather than delivering a predictable drop, it leans into sustained anticipation, making the payoff more psychological than physical. Kclab Sephas’ “Your Eyes” dives into post-dub techno territory, with filtered bass, tensile textures, and treated vocals drifting through reverb-heavy space and clouds of purplous smoke. Organic percussion clicks and stutters beneath a warm, evolving synth line, whilst density is the watch word. Like delisciously rich sweet chocolate.
Closing track “Devil Side” by Moguls is the most urgent and familiar of the EP. Neatly driving fast forward before breaking into a lo-swung, staccato rhythm bounce around offering layered dark, hypnotic ice white atmospheres, snapping between rigid restraints and run-a-dub release with a sharp, almost surgical sense of control.
ZEROTHREE is available on Black Shapes on June 15, 2026. [Bandcamp]
