Quartz Presents: Cold Voids EP.
Hailing from Cardiff, Quartz relationship with music stretches back to adolescence, giving great credit to his mother for his early and significant introduction. “She not only encouraged me to play but also quizzed me on the names of songs she liked from an even younger age. I'd attribute her early guidance to sparking my curiosity which set me on the path of exploring music the way I have throughout my life.”
Friends from early on also evidently played a key part in the draw to the genres he finds himself most in. “I had a group of friends… already into jungle and early drum and bass… playing PS1, listening to tape packs, and visiting older friends who were already deep into buying records.” That early immersion left a lasting imprint. “There were a few people in that circle whose taste I really respected and that pushed me to start digging myself… There wasn’t one defining moment. It was more of a slow burn.”
Fast-forward to now, Quartz returns to 1985 - after having featured on the Fragment / 1 VA - for his first full EP release on the imprint. A quiet intensity runs through the Cold Voids EP, drawing comparisons to the darker edges of 90s jungle and drum & bass. Whilst this era does not directly dictate his work, he gives a lot of appreciation for that period .”If anything, those sounds have just become part of my musical taste over time, so elements of it probably come through unconsciously.”
Now, after nearly two decades of writing music, you could say his process is rather instinctual.
“I just follow instinct. I know what I like the sound of and what I don’t, so I guess that guides my direction naturally.”
That instinct manifests in a sound that feels both meticulously engineered and emotionally raw. There’s a precision to the production, but it never comes at the expense of atmosphere.
“I really admire musicians who can say a lot with very little. Music that uses restraint can be incredibly powerful. That’s something I’ve been focusing on more recently.”
His approach when it comes to production has evidently evolved. Where once there may have been a draw to hardware, he’s since stripped things back. “I work entirely in the box these days. Over the years I've owned a lot of hardware, but as time has gone on I have become more concerned with what the music actually sounds like rather than how it was made. Less tools works better for me.” There is one notable exception though: “The Prophet 6 is the one piece of hardware I still use regularly… so a lot of my sounds start there.” From that starting point, the process becomes almost microscopic. “I spend a lot of time focusing on individual harmonics and shaping tone.” This attention to sonic detail ties into a broader belief in limitation as a creative driver. “If you limit the number of tools you rely on, you understand what you do have available inside out… If you have endless options you rarely hit that ceiling where you are forced to find a different way forward.”
“It’s those accidents during exploring that provide the most useful or exciting sounds.”
Outside the studio, life is intentionally grounded. “A lot of my time outside of music is spent with my girlfriend of nine years, Rose, and our dog Daisy. I sometimes refer to them as the two flowers in my life.” When discussing sources of inspiration and how he maintains focus, curiosity is a constant driver. “I spend a lot of time exploring music and trying to understand why audio works the way it does… experimenting, learning, and trying to improve my understanding of it.” On the other hand, sometimes the most productive thing is simply stepping away. “Walks are a big one for me so I can collect my thoughts.”
The Cold Voids EP is out now on all platforms digitally. Limited 1x 12” vinyl is currently available, no repress.