- Zippy, zany bombs.
- The final act in a weird yet productive year for Katie Campbell, AKA Roza Terenzi, was the release of the first record on her new label, Step Ball Chain. Stylish Tantrum, which spans sounds, energies and collaborations, feels like a primer for her work, as if she were introducing new fans to every aspect of her richly detailed universe. Take the vocal samples of Fiorella Terenzi, the Italian astrophysicist who inspired her artist name. Or the tracks with Saoirse (who, full disclosure, is a staff member at RA) and D. Tiffany, two like-minded producers from her close social circle.
Campbell seems most comfortable in the area between trance and techno, where dreamy sounds meet driving rhythms, but she has an adventurous style and bank of nifty tricks that are by no means confined to that zone. Take the switches in tempo and rhythm. The title track begins in half-time, all stoned and dubby, before ramping up to 150 BPM. "Sxc Saloon," a creepy cut recorded with Saoirse in Melbourne, practically grinds to a halt midway through, "French Kiss"-style. My favourite track, the very Balearic "Illusions," weaves through ambient, downtempo and jungle, the drums morphing with the grace of great DJ Sports records.
This playful streak extends to the rest of the EP, but in different ways. Opener "Cosmology," the one with the blurry Fiorella samples, and the D. Tiffany collaboration, "Chosen Family Feud," are straight bangers—no funny business, just pure four-on-the-floor heat from the first to the last. The magic is in the zany sound design, like the chorus of zaps, tweets and twinkles on "Cosmology," or the garbled synths on "Chosen Family Feud" that evoke witches babbling over a brew. It's a real skill making wacky club music sound this good.
Tracklist01. Roza Terenzi - Cosmology
02. Roza Terenzi - Stylish Tantrum
03. Roza Terenzi & D. Tiffany - Chosen Family Feud
04. Roza Terenzi - Illusions
05. Roza Terenzi & Saoirse - Sxc Saloon