after two stunning 12 inch eps for kai alcés ndatl muziq imprint and london-based the love below, atlantas rising wunderkind stefan ringer dons new alias black suede for his debut release with cgi. switching it up from the bouncier, jazzier style that characterizes ringers work under his given name, black suede strips down the soul to a darker, harder groove, weaving dancefloor narratives that confront our innermost desires and fears. from the heavily swung stomp and vocal chops of *connect like 2 ways* and the skittering arpeggios and percolations of *stimulus (dead)*, to the dystopian booty-house masterpiece that is *7713gh* and the droning and cavernous dirge of *purgatory*, it is clear this is the work of an immensely talented artist who will continue to defy categorization and keep us wondering what the future will bring.