7/10

Ever since he first emerged, French artist and producer WØLZT has always looked to adopt a more emotive presence than many in his field. Combining the broad and immersive aesthetic of post-rock with some brilliantly captivating textures to form something he likes to call "hypnagogic rock", his tenure to date has been this wildly explorative one that always looks to build upon the foundations of what has come before. And after the rousing response to his sophomore outing 'Anamnēsis' in 2022, he returns with his third collection 'Tapes From The Maze', marking one of his more compelling efforts to date.

While just three tracks in length, each one clocks in at over eleven minutes, making 'Tapes From The Maze' his most progressive endeavour yet. Breathing life into these broad and atmospheric outings from start to finish, his newest release finds him in a wonderfully adventurous guise that always seeks to find something new and interesting in which to explore. Beaming with this ethereal sense of wonder as it plays, WØLZT is entering a new phase with this album something that feels far more otherworldly than he has ever explored before.

Although creating such long compositions can sometimes feel like an artist is treading water, 'Tapes From The Maze' manages to keep its head firmly above the surface with this ever-present sense of allure throughout. It sits as one of his more innovative offerings to date, something that we could definitely see him building from in the years ahead as well.