Following the release of her debut album ‘Comfort’ in March this year, Maya Jane Coles’ EP ‘In Dark In Day’ in collaboration with GAPS ,features some head spinning vocals and top notch production work.
First track ‘In Dark In Day’ from the onset is furtively intriguing with its pleasantly high pitched drum pattern yet keeping the house vibes intact throughout. Further through the track MJC releases sweetly melodic synths and sounds so uplifting and delicate that it’s easy to forget yourself and just enjoy the music. The piece is so compelling I find myself become willingly entrapped. MJC is cautious of how she does this, leading us astray with one development in the music after the other whilst never letting it get too crowded. She keeps the track flawless and full yet with so little going on, a skill that can’t be easy to acquire.
The introduction highlights just some of the boundless work MJC is capable of; we are obliged to listen from the very first second when we hear echoic sound effects and a simple drum loop. The evoking vocals are the highlight of this piece in my opinion, smooth and focused where nothing happens or changes too dramatically but we are still addicted, all the while wanting more. The angelic, luxurious harmonies in the track make those vocals all the more capturing and moving, pulling at something deep inside so we can really connect with the music.
MJC expertly adds acoustics into the track at just the right time; coaxing any listener towards a combined state of relaxation and bliss.Once we return to that itching, addictive synth riff it’s easy to imagine ‘In Dark In Day’ settling over club-goers in a misty crowded underground setting. MJC teases us with brassy wave synths in the distance just enough, rumbling beneath the track ready to erupt, but it never really does. You can feel the power of these synths MJC builds without them needing to be overly bold, the track as a whole makes up for this.
Track number two, ‘Never Walk Away’ is more chilled with the sweeping vocals taking a little more of the power of this track. A similarity I can decipher in relation to ‘In Dark In Day’ is the soulful harmonies we hear alongside those idyllic trademark vocals. This track expresses electronica but keeps individuality by simply using blissful reverberation and edgy drum patterns. The echo effect of the synths blends them in with the vivid, alert and boxy drums. ‘Never Walk Away’ has significantly less bass meaning we can focus on every beat change and new synth or sample added without being swept away with the need to dance to the rhythm.
‘It Rains’, track three on the EP brings us back to deep house, only with a lot more bass and those brilliantly bewildering bursts of vocal. The ambience in this piece takes control; the track pushing forward as MJC releases some of the high end she previously kept under wraps. The typical 90’s style synth bass Coles uses here gives the track an unexpected edginess that excels when it’s exposed more exclusively to the track giving it that pulse and unavoidable club vibe.
The final track on the EP is a faster paced instrumental version of ‘In Dark In Day’. Still keeping the high end synth sounds and underlying brassy wave-type of synths coming in MJC breaks it down expertly. This version of the track contains all the acoustic qualities I personally admire it for. The track is exactly what you would expect from an instrumental mix but also so much more, giving us all the ingredients for a euphoric experience of MJC's work but also stripped down, making the kick and the bass in the track even more effective, we daren't expect any drops or builds in this piece it being a total climax in itself.
You can preview and purchase all the tracks early here.
Naomi Campbell
Check out Naomi's music page here.
