Fresh out on Dutch label Atomnation is this new EP from mates turned music producers Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte. Having met in the film industry in 2010, they bonded over a love of electronic music and a desire to create imaginative and atmospheric sounds, resulting in this début EP.
There are hints of the more gentle side of Krautrock as the opening track 'Out Of The Game' begins, before it turns into a more contemporary track, a bit like Darkstar meets Depeche Mode. Track 2 'Detian' is instrumental and has strong hints of the sort of quality electronic music that Dominik Eulberg and Ryan Davis have put out in the last year or 2. Next up is 'The Most', which was undoubtedly separated at birth from Radiohead's 'Everything In Its Right Place', and while it doesn't quite meet Radiohead's heights it's still a really good track that by the end seems to have morphed into something by Caribou.
The brief 'Somewhere' leads into 'Something', a track with treated and chopped vocals which again is reminiscent of Darkstar and also James Blake. 'Rooftop Paradise' is more upbeat; rhythmic and pulsing. Last up is the title track 'Half Age' which feels a but different to the rest of the tracks - there's an analogue warmth to this instrumental as the track rises from hisses and crackles before collapsing back into them at the end.
Overall this is a really promising début release. The pair are currently working on their first full album which is scheduled in for September - I for one can't wait to hear it. In the meantime you can listen to the whole of the current record above.
