jj just released a surprise EP, available for free download on Swedish label Sincerely Yours. High Summer continues the duo’s amalgamation of dream pop, drugs and hip-hop.
The five-track EP finds jj stepping out from behind their usual ambient pop. The opener, “High Summer,” and closer, “Times,” are closer to this traditional style. Singer Elin Kastlander still raps, so it’s hardly traditional, but it’s expected. The spoken word audio of the 50-second “My Name” is also washed over with a similar ambiance.
The other two tracks are where it gets really interesting. “10″ has a huge groove, which Kastlander likens to a remix (“Baby listen, it’s the remix”). A springy piano and bass in “10″ and the clicking drum machine and hand claps of “Big Hearts, Big Dreams” put a fresh step into jj’s mellow music.
The entire concept of jj — dream pop with hip-hop lyrics — has always been a bit laughable, but High Summer keeps it interesting. The EP could be a sign of what’s to come from Kastlander and Joakim Benon.
