RIYL: Hermitude, Chet Faker and Isabella Manfredi

Recommended Track: “TRUST” ft. Isabella Manfredi

Grade: B-

Review By: Sean Lynch

It certainly has been a monumental year for Australian-based producer Flume. Skin, the producer’s second album is nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the upcoming 2017 Grammy Awards and won Album of the Year at the ARIA Music Awards of 2016.

Skin Companion EP 1 serves as a compilation of material that got produced around the same time as Skin. There is a sense of the same mindset of Skin, but also sounds simplistic and less elaborate than the album.

The track that carries the most substance on the EP is “TRUST.” Featuring the Preatures’ Isabella Manfredi as a guest vocalist, the track becomes a mixture of electronic and R&B influences. Manfredi shines as her voice compliments the backing beat, making for a pleasant combination. “V” brings together bouncing synths with a simplistic drum beat, creating a sense of tranquility. “Heater” is carried by its mix of synths which slowly build towards the drop in the middle of the song.

Skin Companion EP 1 is exactly what it sets out to be. The EP is a companion to the album Skin because it carries a similar mindset to what Flume went for during that time. While it is not full of hits, the EP serves as a wind down for the Australian-based producer. While it won’t live up to the hype of Skin, the EP serves as a nice starting point in what presumably will be a series of EPs highlighting work that came around the same time that Skin came out.