Alterleo - Step Forward EPA Journey Through Groove, Depth, and Dub
Out 20/09/25
Alterleo Releases New Four-Track EP on Eclectics:
The rebirth of the Eclectics label takes another great stride with the four-track Step Forward EP from Moscow-based Denis Leonovich, better known as Alterleo. With this new project, the producer and DJ blends chuggy grooves, murky atmospheres, and leftfield sonic textures into something that feels both immediately accessible and utterly unpredictable.
The EP opens with Turtle's Sunglasses, where slow-burning energy and understated propulsion set the tone. Built around an oscillating lead line and an insistent, bounce-infused groove, it's the kind of tune made for those early morning dancefloor moments where stripped-back simplicity becomes a hypnotic call to dance. Carefully layered percussion adds depth and momentum, drive and restraint - persistence that never overpowers.
Shifting gears, From the Depths dives into darker and murkier territory. Bringing different shades to Alterleo's sonic palette, this is moodier, more introspective, yet still led by the groove. The urgent, building four-note loop nods to acid house without ever giving into cliche, growing in intensity without sacrificing subtlety, drawing you in as it slowly unravels its layers.
Next up, Turtle's Sunglasses gets a spacious dub rerub, which puts a leash on the propulsive bounce of the OG, and gives individual elements the space to stretch out and breathe deep. Really deep. While the percussion sits high in the mix, with expansive echo-laden snare shots, the groove itself becomes looser and deeper, inviting you to lean back rather than step forward.
Which brings us, rather neatly, to the EP's title track, Step Forward, perhaps the most eclectic of the set. Combining elements of Balearic, dub, off-kilter library music, and 80s wonky synth experiments, it's a head-spinning, carousel-like number that seems to shapeshift at every turn.
With so many layered textures, it rewards repeated listens, revealing hidden details every time - from the subtle shifts in rhythmic pulse to the melodic duelling and dramatic swell.
So where does that leave us? Right in the sweet spot - grounded in groove, deep in atmosphere, and relentlessly searching for the delicate balance between familiar feels and the thrill of the unexpected.
Out 20/09/25
Alterleo Releases New Four-Track EP on Eclectics:
The rebirth of the Eclectics label takes another great stride with the four-track Step Forward EP from Moscow-based Denis Leonovich, better known as Alterleo. With this new project, the producer and DJ blends chuggy grooves, murky atmospheres, and leftfield sonic textures into something that feels both immediately accessible and utterly unpredictable.
The EP opens with Turtle's Sunglasses, where slow-burning energy and understated propulsion set the tone. Built around an oscillating lead line and an insistent, bounce-infused groove, it's the kind of tune made for those early morning dancefloor moments where stripped-back simplicity becomes a hypnotic call to dance. Carefully layered percussion adds depth and momentum, drive and restraint - persistence that never overpowers.
Shifting gears, From the Depths dives into darker and murkier territory. Bringing different shades to Alterleo's sonic palette, this is moodier, more introspective, yet still led by the groove. The urgent, building four-note loop nods to acid house without ever giving into cliche, growing in intensity without sacrificing subtlety, drawing you in as it slowly unravels its layers.
Next up, Turtle's Sunglasses gets a spacious dub rerub, which puts a leash on the propulsive bounce of the OG, and gives individual elements the space to stretch out and breathe deep. Really deep. While the percussion sits high in the mix, with expansive echo-laden snare shots, the groove itself becomes looser and deeper, inviting you to lean back rather than step forward.
Which brings us, rather neatly, to the EP's title track, Step Forward, perhaps the most eclectic of the set. Combining elements of Balearic, dub, off-kilter library music, and 80s wonky synth experiments, it's a head-spinning, carousel-like number that seems to shapeshift at every turn.
With so many layered textures, it rewards repeated listens, revealing hidden details every time - from the subtle shifts in rhythmic pulse to the melodic duelling and dramatic swell.
So where does that leave us? Right in the sweet spot - grounded in groove, deep in atmosphere, and relentlessly searching for the delicate balance between familiar feels and the thrill of the unexpected.
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