Brooklyn-based experimental electronic artist goste released earlier this month his third EP titled Eugene. goste, whose real name is Owen Ross, is a producer, instrumentalist, and composer; one of the unique features of his music is that he adds his own vocals to tracks. While goste is a solo project, the EP also features Chris Holdridge on drums and Bryan Percivall on bass, with Megan Lui and Tamsin Wilson providing background vocals.

The almost hypnotizing, slow beat of the melody in the opening track, “Volcanoes (Slow Fade)”, draws the listener in and manages to grab his interest despite the monotonous and sometimes muddled vocals. “Loadedlikeapistol” features a mix of rock and electronic that takes listener on an emotional roller coaster of sorts, putting anger and hopelessness back to back with a mixture of fluctuating rhythms and vocals ranging from loud screams to soft whispers. The relentless background beat throughout most of the track drives it into listeners’ brains. “Hold On/Let Go”, which is a bit pop-sounding at times, is again quite repetitive in nature, this time mostly due to its chorus. The alternation between a mellow beat and a more uptempo one seem to reflect the different but related concepts of holding on and letting go that inspired this song in the first place.

“Omar’s Ghost” is even more pop-sounding that its immediate predecessor as well as being the most upbeat track of the EP to date. The lyrics are written from the perspective of Omar from the television show “The Wire” right after he finds out that his lover has been killed; the upbeat tempo and oral distortions are reminiscent of the offbeat and unusual ways people react to such shocking news. The penultimate “Won’t Be Long” and its guitar solos, which give the track a distinct rock and some country flavour to it. The EP closes off with “Single File”, filled with buzzing noises, mumbled lyrics, and various auditory textures courtesy of a well-used synthesizer that tell the story of a man that gives into a life of crime in order to survive. The track’s sharpness contrasts the rest of the dreamy, sometimes ethereal EP.

This six track EP makes for an interesting listen which will challenge listeners to let go of auditory expectations. The lead single, “Loaded Like a Pistol”, can be streamed on SoundCloud.

Pictures provided by Independent Music Promotions.  First published on Blogcritics.