HECTOR’S IMAGINARY LETTERS TO MUSICIANS
Dear Donato Dozzy, dear Neel,
Some sequels feel like a return to a familiar dream, and “II” is exactly that in its title and in its journey: a continuation rather than another departure. It doesn’t seek new lands; it deepens the same waters, following the ripples left by the first waves. Today, you bring back the lantern that illuminated The Labyrinth, letting it glow again in this timeless forest of sound.
At the same time, following up on a debut album that was nothing short of a game-changer can only delight your devoted listeners. Though instrumental music can be hard to recall, I still remember the pieces from that first release. In our review of it, we compared the subtle music to water dripping from bamboo in a Japanese garden. It reshaped ambient techno, proving that minimalism could breathe nature’s depth. More than a decade later, you offer us the second chapter, stepping into the same enchanted forest, only to discover new paths under the starry night, new spirits hiding between the trees.
As always, your music is anything but neutral; it has something to say. Just for the pleasure, let me try to imagine one possible version of its secret language, with my punk yet romantic heart, shaped by what I humbly know of you.
From the opening lightness of “Eos”, the air thickens with expectation. The bass returns like an old friend, subtle yet resonant, preparing the ears for what’s to come, with the comforting depth that defines your sound. A smart riser in the middle opens up the enchanting world. “Lotus Mist” unfolds like leaves in a Japanese forest, letting sunlight filter through to illuminate the path. “Bespin” sets the deep scene: you are science fiction lovers, so it’s no surprise that its title echoes a Star Wars gas-giant planet, lifting the space with a quiet, otherworldly grandeur. “Aquateo” flows with the aqueous sensibility that has always defined Voices From The Lake; a caressing sound rising over azure horizons, carrying distant memories of water, nature, people, and the hypnotic spaces where your music was born. The Labyrinth sleeps under black mountains at night, and “Montenero” awakens that image, as if the spiritual nature stirs when mankind dreams. Then comes “Manuark”, tuned for the festival: rich in sound, trippy enough to close the eyes and drift away. “Mono No Koto” speaks both through its name and music, reflecting the elegance of Japanese culture, which offers quiet joy to the artists. By now, the audience is yours, dear modern shamans, dancing around the fire with “Asterios” and “Blue Noa”. And finally, the farewell: a majestic night sealed with “Ian”.
What strikes me most in your album, dear artists, is the clarity. If the first album was crystalline, this one is three-dimensional. Neel, your mastery at Enisslab is evident: the reverbs bloom like halos, the spectrum feels complete, and every sound occupies its own sacred space. Listening to “II” is like taking a sonic bath, immersive and cleansing. In a scene where hypnotic techno often forgets to tell stories, drowning in tribal loops and hollow effects, the album inspires narrative. Here, atmospheres and melodies intertwine with grace, whispering lakes and labyrinths, of friendship and time.
Because this is what the music of each of you has always been about: not just sound, but connection. Two artists who met in Rome, who shared nights at Brancaleone, who created their sonic architecture, born from experience and touched by visionaries like Mike Parker, to shape space with minimal gestures. Two companions who once played under a full moon at The Labyrinth, with spirits awake and people lifted in gratitude. That bond still resonates in every bar of “II”, vibrating with the same timeless sincerity as the first dream.
Your album is a reminder that beauty can be pure, and that happiness can be heard.
Dear Donato Dozzy, dear Neel, thank you…
Don’t miss the continuous mix…
What’s better than “II”? Answer: a continuous mix of “II”…
Meanwhile, in our community, one of our beloved members beautifully commented on it:
MORIAN
DJ, EVENT ORGANISER AND MIX SERIES CO-OWNER OF ANODYNIC FREQUENCIES
“I have listened to the continuous mix of this now twice through, and oh my, it is indeed sublime. Release of the year for me. Every sound is meticulously thought out from placement to level, from repetition to intensity. This transports you in such a way that your ears doubt if the sound is in the track or actually exists in the room. The atmosphere, the composition are sublime. 10/10. I cannot wait to hear it through decent cans to catch details I might have missed. Love it.”
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WRITING BY: HECTOR | 8 DECEMBER 2025