Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Nicolas Jaar - Don't Break My Love EP (2011)


7/10



Things are going well for producer Nicolas Jaar right now; so much so that he’s seen fit to give us his latest EP as a free download. This is his first release since the much-acclaimed Space Is Only Noise and these two tracks have gone some way to appeasing his growing number of followers.

Firstly, “Don’t Break My Love”, a track that sums up much of what was minimally exquisite about his debut LP. It’s slow and soulful, not moving anywhere fast but absorbing the listener with its warmth and the irregularity of the beats and effects. Like some of Jaar’s previous work, it isn’t the easiest thing to get during the first listen but has a way of gently demanding attention before, almost strangely, breaking down into a sort of anthemic chorus (before you go expecting a Blur-style singalong, think of the context).

All very interesting, but it’s the second track on here that really excites. “Why Didn’t You Save Me” has a delicate build-up, set to Jaar’s typical old-worldly atmosphere with ethnic drums and strained vocal samples. A little while in, a 4/4 drops, alluding to the techno that’s been such an influence on Jaar’s music. The vocal samples are strained superbly, in a way that they seem to ride the beat, creating something that is deep, unusual and infectious all at the same time.

Fans will be left screaming for another full-length outing, but smaller releases of this quality will tide them over nicely for now.

This EP was released by Clown & Sunset on 1 November 2011, available to play or download from the widget below!

NICOLAS JAAR / Don't break my love EP by Clown & Sunset

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