Midori is a producer with roots in both Paris and Tokyo, as he also works as a DJ and runs the Menace record label. The last time he worked with Cascade Records was to release his 2016 EP, Green. Now he comes back with another EP, Kumo.

Kumo EP is a fairly straightforward downtempo release from Midori. It opens with some noise and static on the opening track, “Into Nowhere Again,” but this gives way to this really lush and gentle soundscape with a lot of fluttering keyboards and woodwind sounds. The seconds track, “Change,” is perhaps the most interesting song on the EP, as it slowly builds with this dub influence and different rhythmic patterns playing against each other. It’s always in motion, and it always feels like it’s building towards something as it cycles through the chord changes. Unfortunately, from there, the music isn’t quite as interesting. It’s still good, but these days it’s tough to create downtempo instrumental music that stands out from the crowd, and a lot of the material throughout the rest of the EP falls into that category of pretty-but-forgettable. There are flashes here and there, such as the piano breakdown at the end of “Walls,” but there’s just not enough there to make this a standout release overall. It’s certainly enjoyable and pleasant to listen to while it’s on, but there’s just not enough done with the songwriting and arranging to make this music stick with you long after the EP is over.

Kumo EP has some potential, and Midori has some talent as a producer, but he needs to push himself harder if he wants his downtempo music to stand out amongst a very crowded field of producers in 2018.