With four highly focused and crisp new tracks, Bas Dobbelaer and Vand return to SoHaSo once again. Their Laren EP from last year got high praise from dj’s and lovers of deep, percussive dance music and ZL2 seems to wander down that same and interesting path. Though some things have changed. On their new EP the vibe seems more melancholic, more introvert. Might the pandemic and the locked down nightlife have something to do with it? Or is it perhaps due to Dobbelaer’s new favourite instrument, the Waldorf Blofeld? This small synthesizer combines the technology of today with the analogue vibe of the last century and is a therefore perfect metaphor for the delicate ‘vintage feel productions’ of Vand and Dobbelaer. In any case, ZL2 is manna for headphone junkies. The condensed kicks on tracks like Nomansland and Runner make way for some excited listening, with beautiful details everywhere in the sound spectrum. Listen how the hi-hats unfold slowly on the blissful off-beat belter Story of Blade. Where a melancholic strings ties it all together. Once again, youth friends Dobbelaer and Vand made something special together. Let’s hope the clubs reopen soon, because you really want to hear ZL2 on a proper sound system.[info sheet from distr.]