BCCO Mix Series 276: Niki Istrefi

D.Dan - Szczecin Recordings - ARTE Concert

Rebel

Phantom

Interloper

Sycophants

‣ Available here: quartz.bfan.link/interloper

Metalheadz and Quartz present Interloper, a body of work years in the making, and an unfiltered document of evolution, displacement and creative persistence. Originally sparked by an invitation from Goldie in 2018 to deliver multiple releases for the label, the album gradually took on its own identity, absorbing each stage of Quartz’s shifting environments and mindset.

There has always been something quietly disquieting about the music of Quartz, also known as Elliot Garvey. Not in a theatrical sense, but more like a fog that rolls in and never quite lifts. Interloper continues that tension: textured, brooding, and deeply precise. The record doesn’t announce itself; it unfolds slowly, rewarding close attention with meticulous detail and atmosphere.

Garvey’s path has always been unconventional. A Welsh producer uninterested in social media or self-promotion, he has carved out a singular presence within the underground. Respected by veterans and quietly championed by tastemakers, his work sits outside trend or scene. “I’ve always chased that looming tension,” he says. “Something that hits in a way you don’t quite expect.”

Unlike many concept-driven projects, Interloper emerged organically, over years of work alongside his other releases. “I realised I’d been holding onto this idea that albums needed a narrative,” Garvey explains. “Once I let that go, it became a diary, a reflection of refining my craft and finding the music I truly love.”

Sonically, the record resists easy classification. Distorted textures, intricate sound design, and subtle sampling weave through each track, balancing grit and clarity. Despite its variety, a single thread runs throughout: a tension that feels both ominous and euphoric. That restless curiosity defines the album, from the stark propulsion of Ganzfeld to the layered atmospherics of Skeng.

Growing up in Cardiff, far from London’s pirate radio hubs, Garvey developed in isolation, guided by instinct. Record shops were classrooms, and intuition was the only teacher. “I had to work out what hit me,” he recalls. “No tutorials, no shortcuts, just listening and learning.” That independence shaped a sound that is club-ready but unconstrained, detailed yet raw.

The title Interloper reflects Garvey’s position within the culture: present but never fully belonging. It is both an inside joke and a quiet statement, a nod to the artist who exists in the shadows, shaping the scene without demanding its spotlight.

In a world driven by visibility, Garvey’s silence is deliberate. He allows the music to speak for itself, building a reputation on substance over persona. “If I was going to make an impact, it had to be through the strength of the music,” he says.

Interloper stands as both culmination and continuation, intense without theatrics, brooding without ego, and deeply personal while remaining universal. It is a record that lingers, its impact growing long after the final note fades.

“Really, it’s just about doing the work,” Garvey says. “You show up, make something honest, and let it run.” In a landscape obsessed with immediacy, Interloper is quiet defiance, a record that doesn’t ask to be seen, only to be felt. 

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‣ www.twitter.com/elliotquartz
‣ www.instagram.com/quartzmusic
‣ @quartz

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Buy / Stream

Quartz - Sycophants

Site recording of Entanglement sound installation by Juan Pampin, Eunsu Kang and Joel Kollin.

https://dxarts.washington.edu/creative-work/entanglement

Entanglement

>My mix for Ectotherm's show on NTS radio.
My sections is a mix of new, mostly unreleased music from Copenhagen and old stuff that has been inpirational to me. Thanks for listening!

[:TRACKLIST:]

>REPRO - Docking At Freeside [Unreleased]
>Sugar - Drowner [Unreleased]
>Niki Istrefi - Red Armor [Out September 1st on EUROMANTIC]
>Funeral Future - 9th Compartment [Unreleased]
>REPRO - Barrier Program [Unreleased]
>Fumiya Tanaka - O N   A   L I N E [Torema/Ki/oon]
>K.U.R.O - Anion [Psyristor Trax] 
>Ctrls - C5 [Unreleased]
>Funeral Future - Draped In Flags [Unreleased]
>REPRO - ブラック企業 [Unreleased]
>REPRO - Club Comfort [Unreleased]
>REPRO - Mole IX [Unreleased]
>Fumiya Tanaka - One Sparkle [Torema]
>Funeral Future - Close To Communion [Unreleased]
>REPRO - Heatmap [Unreleased]
>Niki Istrefi - Chambers [Out September 1st on EUROMANTIC]
>Funeral Future - The Arch Of Hysteria [Unreleased]
>Takkyu Ishino - Polynasia [Ki/oon, Loopa, SONY]
>Modah - Streakness [Unreleased]
>Manni Dee - Bring the Brave In [Leyla Records]
>REPRO - Hyper-Priming [Unreleased]
>(3rd Deck) REPRO - 015SKY [Unreleased]
>REPRO - Hot Led Payoff [Unreleased]
>Sugar - Vascular [Unreleased]
>REPRO - Gust of Residue [Unreleased]

NTS Radio x Ectotherm 30.08.17 - >>REPRO<<

>>REPRO<< Live @ Tresor Presents: 2 Jahre Herrensauna - Berlin

Barrio Sur - "बड़ा शोक (heart break)"

बड़ा शोक (heart break)

Rubato

Nordvest Summer Recordings 2019

@Istrefi
facebook.com/01123581321x/

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Rubato

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