Old Friend - EP

Having established his flair for moody, melodic house on singles like “How Many Times” and “Talking”—and snagging a Grammy nomination for 2017’s “Cola”—UK producer Elderbrook returns with an EP that subtly beefs up his sound with earthshaking basslines and shuffling rhythms. “Old Friend” pairs a hi-def low end and crisp finger-snaps with whisper-hummed vocals that nod to R&B, while “Sleepwalking” and “Capricorn” fold Latin rhythms and playground chants into punchy, peak-time grooves. Only with the melancholy “Bird Song” does he dust off the dreamily downcast vibes of his early tracks, letting his falsetto drift over yearning synths that split the difference between deep house and the most fragile kind of electro-pop.