Luke Abbott

The name Luke Abbott may not resonate in the hip indie scene as loudly as labelmates Nathan Fake or James Holden, but that's not due to quality. "Brazil (Slow Version)" opens the EP with a road-tested variation of the title cut, taking the tempo down from a brisk 165 BPM to a more contemplative, club-friendly pace. Brimming with filtered distortion, "Grumble" features the weirdest breakdown, basically grinding to a halt as if someone stopped the turntable while its needle was still on, then it launches back into its shuffling beat and elusive lead. The rocking version of "Brazil," from his lauded 2010 full-length debut, Holkham Drones, is thoughtfully placed midway through the track listing, and, to finish the EP, Etienne Jaumet (Zombie Zombie) and Gold Panda take turns tweaking the title track into their respective Goblin soundtrack and backpacker folktronica aesthetics. Luke Abbott is onto something special, and if he keeps taking risks like this, a larger audience will find him too.