If you weren’t already convinced that dance music has been driven back underground in 2016, Eekko and Sailor & I’s new EP stands as further evidence. The two-track Letters has been released by Big Beat Records – a label known for distributing distinctly more mainstream music.
To be fair, however, Big Beat weren’t the only ones who stepped outside of their comfort zone with Letters. For the dark, brooding sort of techno that characterized earlier Eekkoo releases like the Kubrick EP, the Montreal producer clearly met Sailor & I more than halfway between their individual styles.
“Capital” and “Lower Case” feature more of the hallmarks of of Sailor & I’s melodic, lyric-driven concepts. The former arrangement is built upon an uplifting arpeggio, while the latter is more reminiscent of the Swedish vocalist’s melancholic 2014 breakout hit “Turn Around.”
Nonetheless, a little stylistic diversity looks good on Eekkoo – as it does on Big Beat. As a new generation of electronic music fans come to embrace more sophisticated sounds, Letters is likely the first of many more releases to make waves in the coming months.
