Altinbas - Reshape [Fuse Imprint]

Format: 12" in printed sleeve.

After more than a decade of silence, Fuse Club finally awakens its in-house label to redefine the design of contemporary club music. With renewed intentions, one word resonates across their upcoming releases: timeless. Finding a home at the 30-year-old Brussels institution, these records are conceived to endure in an ever-transforming scene, balancing drive, tension, and introspection.

The first to contribute to this project is none other than Fuse's own resident, Altinbas. Following a string of releases on his Observer Station label, as well as Token, SK_Eleven, and many others, Altinbas elegantly blends encompassing atmospheres and elusive synth and arrangement work, all recontextualized within impressively decisive percussion lines. Creating dimension in every track, the Brussels-based artist deploys texture in all directions with persistent tension and a solid, balanced low-end.

Hunt kicks off the EP at full throttle with a thick bassline, which rapidly expands with the entry of supporting synths. Trailing a dizzying arrangement, Altinbas nimbly exchanges hi-hats to tame the loose atmosphere. A heavier cut for the A1 leads us to a deeper dive with the following track, Good Intentions. Almost without notice, the record takes a dark turn with the appearance of a chilling key marking the beat. Pushing forward with a hard-hitting kick drum and the remaining elements responding in kind, we move towards the end to discover an important contrast on the B-side. The title track, Reshape, lowers the intensity in attitude and proposes a carefully constructed classic approach, with bouncing dub stabs and swinging drum machine sequences. Building tension with opening filters and splashing rides, Altinbas executes smoothly satisfying transitions while maintaining playful control. This guides us to the EP's closer, Sphaere. Changing course with a final surprise, we are met with a harmonic groove reminiscent of post-90s techno, delivered with surgical attention to detail. Tone is central here, with a powerful mid-range and enough room to evolve throughout the track—a clever closing for Fuse Imprint's first installment.