Sparkling dancefloor rhythms from Philly
Who?
QRTR (pronounced “quarter”) is the moniker of Philadelphia-based producer and DJ, Meagan Rodriguez, who makes brooding, dancefloor-friendly electronica that is riddled with otherworldly textures, thanks to an extensive film and field recording library. She first announced herself with a formidable brace of albums in as many years, with 2020’s ‘Drenched’ and 2021’s ‘Infina Ad Nausea’. Combining electronica with jungle, techno and house, these paved the way for a string of high-profile sets at the likes of the Coachella and Night Of Fire festivals, where she appeared on bills alongside Arca, Eartheater and Kero Kero Bonito.
Why QRTR?
It’s the kind of dark and oblique electronica that cleverly works to evoke nostalgia and dystopia in equal measure. Shot through with the decaying soundscapes of Burial and Gaika, QRTR’s music is more than willing to shift into the kind of pulsing techno we’d sooner associate with Orbital or LFO.
Tell Us More…
Her latest EP, the seductively titled ‘Music For Stealing To’, is another impressive suite of tracks. From the Daniel Avery-like ‘Again, But Colder’, to the 303-infused Aphex Twin-isms of ‘Roll Credits’, the EP was created largely in response to the unease of moving from Brooklyn – Rodriguez’ home of 10 years – to Philadephia, where an experimental scene is alive and popping. Rodriguez has described the three tracks as feeling “like the beginning, middle and end of a heist film”, and hers is a story you’ll want to watch until the credits.
‘Music For Stealing To’ is out on Headroom
