XELTA has officially arrived, making their debut on Bézier’s Body Tension / Körperspannung Records with B.D.S.M., a five-track EP that channels the raw, confrontational energy of electro, industrial, and EBM. The project is a collaborative effort between New York-based producer and composer Bruno Coviello and Seattle-based DJ and KEXP host Sharlese Metcalf. By weaving Metcalf’s commanding spoken-word vocals into the fabric of the music, the duo explores themes of rhythm, control, and power exchange, creating a sound that feels deeply physical.
The partnership is a natural evolution for both artists, who have long navigated the intersections of tension and club culture. Coviello brings a history of work in soundtrack composition and dance music, while Metcalf has spent nearly two decades shaping underground listening culture through her work at KEXP and legendary venues like Panorama Bar and Tresor. On B.D.S.M., these backgrounds coalesce into a project that feels commanded from the body upward.
The Human Element in Modern Production
In an era where artificial intelligence and generative plugins are becoming ubiquitous, XELTA remains cautious about the cost of convenience. For the duo, the danger lies in outsourcing the very soul of a track. “The soul itself gets outsourced when you’re relying on AI for all that human touch,” they explain. “There is no substitute for taste and distinction or poetry for that matter.”
This philosophy is central to their creative process. When listening to tracks like “MYY KONTROLL,” the listener is reminded that behind the machine, there is a heartbeat. The duo emphasizes that while technology speeds up the production process, it should not dictate the artist’s point of view. They argue that the most compelling music comes from a balance of ease and tension, where the artist remains in control of the final output.
Maintaining Instinct and Control
As production tools become increasingly sophisticated, XELTA advocates for a hands-on approach to preserve the artist’s instincts. They suggest that the time between an idea surfacing and its realization has become dangerously short, often leading to an “unfiltered mess” if the artist isn’t careful. By testing their tracks in diverse settings—from the home to the club—they ensure that their music hits with the necessary impact on actual sound systems.
Ultimately, XELTA encourages other artists to stay paranoid about the tools they use. While they embrace soft synths and hardware, they warn against technologies that seek to automate the creative process entirely. For a record built around the concepts of physicality and consent, this tension between the tool and the body is not just a theme—it is the foundation of their work.