In August of 2022, we featured NUEQ in our Focus Five segment, not knowing much about the artist, but surprised by the combination of his sheer talent and minimal SoundCloud following. Since then, the artist has shared a handful of impressive tracks, while simultaneously growing a more substantial audience, earning performances and praise in Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The next phase of NUEQ’s musical odyssey promises to be thrilling, as he makes his inaugural appearance on Inspected with the Zahara EP, coinciding with their 13-year anniversary as trendsetters in music, fashion, and beyond. What better way to celebrate this milestone than by embracing such a formidable talent into the Inspected fold? NUEQ has long admired Inspected, and the journey to the release of this project was surely rewarding.
In the words of NUEQ, “This past year and a half was challenging. I decided to leave everything behind and move to Bristol to try and advance NUEQ. After three months, I realized it wasn’t the ideal place for me so I decided to fly to Mexico to get closer to the US. I spent two months in Mexico, relaxed and traveled, and continued working on this EP. The next destination was Denver, Colorado, and it didn’t take me long to realize that I belong here. And here, out of all places, I finished ‘Zahara’, my EP dedicated to THE label – Inspected. Working on this project taught me that you don’t need anything but desire. It pushed me beyond what I thought I was capable of, and showed me that through hard work dreams come true.”
The Zahara EP signifies a remarkable evolution in NUEQ’s artistry, encompassing four diverse yet cohesive tracks. ‘Viernes’ opens with a serene sonic landscape, before seamlessly transitioning to a hard-hitting bass section without ever losing the musical essence from the introduction. ‘Neo’ maintains the energy but diverges stylistically as NUEQ explores the technicalities of drum and bass with this cut. ‘Ammonites Wall’ follows suit with a mystical tone reminiscent of ‘Viernes,’ maintaining a light and airy feel in the introduction before shifting to a heavier drop around the ninety-second mark. ‘Astarte’ brings the project to a close with NUEQ further demonstrating his ability to navigate between different styles, layering otherworldly soundscapes over mesmerizing drums to draw listeners into his sonic realm.
Inspected and NUEQ; a match made in heaven. Don’t miss Zahara below.
