- LA-based artist John Tejada's latest EP is a pair of vocal techno cuts that achieve mixed results. The title track begins with a fluttering, classically Kompakt synth line but goes a little awry when a rather cheesy, Europoppy vocal from Kimi Recor of The Invisibles kicks in. It's not an offensive listen by any means, but Recor's sweet-sounding platitudes ("You can still feel alive / You can thrive") add little to Tejada's characteristically assured production. A more enjoyable instrumental version closes the EP and confirms that, in this case, less might have been more.
"Now We're Here" is a different proposition, alighting on very similar territory to last year's "Somewhere." As on that track, a robotic spoken word vocal that's reminscent of Foremost Poets' "Moonraker" is the standout feature. It's laid over a pulsing, stuttering synth and punchy drums, and is head and shoulders above its counterpart.
TracklistA We Can Pretend
B Now We're Here