Zerolex is a producer from France who initially came on our radar as part of the four-producer group known as Cotton Claw. In 2016, he took a bold step when he released his debut solo album, M.I.L.D., which remains one of the best electronic albums to come out in the past decade. He now returns to the spotlight with an EP that goes off in a bold new direction, Touché​-​Coulé.

While M.I.L.D. had a frenetic house-influenced energy to it, Touché​-​Coulé is almost an about face in approach. For this EP, Zerolex eschewed bank samples and virtual instruments from his songwriting, instead focusing on his Prophet synthesizer to create the backbone of the album, and then bringing in sax and double bass players to round out the jazzy direction he found himself in. The result is a project that is warmer and more laid back than previous efforts, but it’s still incredibly interesting and challenging to listen to. The grooves have a jazz and R&B feel that are really accessible and sexy, but Zerolex also takes the time to create some really complex songs that go through some interesting twists and turns and build in really interesting ways that don’t allow you to listen passively. Every time my brain starts to think, “Ah yes, I know how this downtempo instrumental track will go, time to switch to cruise control,” Zerolex will pull the rug out from underneath me with his songwriting, and I find myself leaning in and listening as close as I can. It’s really enjoyable on the surface, and will have you bobbing your head along, but it also rewards with really intricate melodies, countermelodies, harmonies, and rhythmic interplays that keep subverting expectations in the most fascinating ways.

Normally, when you get a four-song EP from a producer, it will turn out to be some of filler material, something to tide fans over until you get to the next album. With Touché​-​Coulé, Zerolex has not only given us a substantial release on it’s own merits, he’s taken a bold new step in his solo career, expanding his own sound in some really interesting directions. I can’t say enough good things about this EP.