Late: Phantom Papers EP (Immerse)

This four-tracker digital release from one-man act Late exists in a strange outer-limits area of dance music, equidistant between the more accessible side of dubstep (at its bounciest and least sinister) and melancholy tech-house. This has more in common with the sweet, sad flavor of Lawrence or Pantha Du Prince than it does with anything released on Planet µ for instance, despite having the basic framework in common with much of that music; the broken beat is in full effect, and vocals are often looped over top or treated rhythmically as an undercurrent. This much it has in common perhaps with genre heavyweight Burial, but the similarities end there. The overall timbre of these tracks is decidedly different, lacking the strange lo-fi sound that often characterized much of Burial’s first two albums and instead having a quality that’s crisper, cleaner, warmer and sadder. Synths are reverberated but still clear enough to make out distinct melodies, and despite the mood being melancholy, these tracks are buoyant enough to generate some movement on a floor. I’m interesting in hearing more from Late; as a first impression he has my attention.

Listen/watch: Losing You