Alexander IV is the new alias of Dutch producer/muti-instrumentalist Joris Feiertag, who normally produces music under his last name. He first got a break playing drums for Kraak & Smaak, and then started releasing his own music in 2015. Now, after releasing his full-length album, Time to Recover, in 2021, he switches gears to Alexander IV to release Westbound EP.

Sometimes different aliases are clearly defined by artists, and other times the lines are bit more blurred. While I wouldn’t say that Alexander IV is miles away from Feiertag, it definitely leans more into the organic soul and funk than the electronic stylings of Feiertag. Over the course of this EP, what you are getting are beautiful, sunny grooves, built around soul, funk, reggae, Afrobeat and jazz, all with this downtempo hip hop foundation to tie everything together. It’s not anything groundbreaking, but when it’s done well, you don’t really care all that much, and Alexander IV is doing it very well on Westbound. You can just feel the joy and passion coming through each song, and the compositions are really nuanced, layered, and well-developed. More than that, you can tell that Alexander IV took the time to map out the whole project, as the emotional and musical journey across the EP flows really well and builds from start to finish.

Westbound EP isn’t a radical departure as Feiertag puts on the identity of Alexander IV, but it does make for an excellent companion to the Feiertag releases. It’s soulful, sunny, and just a little more laidback, making for a great project to listen to as the days get warmer and the flowers start to bloom.