strength music

DJ QU – Conjur [SMR016]

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DJ Qu returns with his sophomore album ‘Conjure’ out on Strength Music Recordings. Five years on from the release of his debut album, Gymnastics, Ramon Lisandro Quezada finally serves up a follow-up. ‘Conjure’ is a fine set that neatly showcases the varied sides of the prolific deep house producer’s output. So, we get Iberican tribal drums fused with hazy trumpet solos (“Feed Off Of”), dreamy ambience (“Candlelit”), groovy downtempo beats (the hip-hop influenced “Supafly”), sumptuous and sensual dancefloor deepness (“Lotus (In Memory Of)”), and dark, intense, occasionally dubbed-out late night business (“Whistle Song”, “Visitation”, the stripped-back hip-house of “Toc”). There’s little in the way of filler or fluff, and plenty of playable, club-ready material.

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DJ QU – Conjur [SMR016]

DJ QU – Redtones EP [SMR015]

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By his own prolific standards, veteran deep house/techno producer Ramon Lisandro Quezada – better known since 2005 as DJ Qu – has been rather quiet of late.  Several bases are covered on the Redtones EP. Contrast, for example, the drifting, sci-fi chords and dense, deep house goes tribal rhythms of the title track, with the picturesque pianos and crackly samples of downtempo bonus “Sadness In The Static”. Best of all, though, is “Sweaty”, a formidably wonky fusion of psychedelic electronics, trippy effects and throbbing, grime encrusted house beats.

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DJ QU – Redtones EP [SMR015]

DJ QU – Raw 7 [SMR014]

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DJ Qu – aka New York-based producer Ramon Lisandro Quezada – has been doing his thing since the mid-2000s, delivering spacey deep house cuts. There’s more stargazing fare to be found on his latest EP on Strength Music. “Raw 7” has a real sci-fi feel, with alien synths melodies and outer-space stabs riding a powerful, cymbal-driven rhythm. “Untitled (High Life)” is a little more relaxed, with picturesque electronic melodies complimenting a dense, afro-influenced house groove. It’s floor-friendly enough, but positive enough for home listening, too. Finally, “Soma” is thrillingly deep, transporting listeners to the far reaches of the galaxy via endless chords and shuffling percussion.

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DJ QU – Raw 7 [SMR014]

VA – Semesters III [SMR013]

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Four years on from the previous instalment, DJ QU’s Strength Music returns with a third edition of their Semesters series, with contributions from Pixel Music, Nicuri and QU himself this time around. Leading the way is “M- Theory” from Pixel Music, a lesser spotted alias of Italian producer Massimiliano ‘Hazylujah’ Vianello which selfishly grips the entire A Side and quite rightly so as it’s a potent production filled with mind bending potential. Having recently flirted with Joey Anderson’s Inimeg operation, Nicuri returns to the Strength cause on the B Side offering the pensive deepness of “Thoughts Of You” whilst DJ QU signs off the 12″ with the bugged out beat down of “Undescribed (Believer)” which is what Parliament would be making if they were to surface in today’s sonic climate.

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VA – Semesters III [SMR013]

DJ Qu – Gymnastics [SMR010]

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DJ Qu, the New Jersey based producer and DJ, will release his debut album on Strength Music stable. The album will include a 3×12″ providing 12 dark, stripped-down productions in his well known style.

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interview

DJ Qu – Gymnastics [SMR010]

Dj Qu – For The Beneath [SMR007]

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DJ QU - For The Beneath (Front Cover)

New DJ QU. “Secret Place” is spooky, whispery, smooth as cough syrup, while “Circuit” draws from the acid tradtion, but takes is way deep into outer space..

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Dj Qu – For The Beneath [SMR007]