We just got our hands on a fresh new EP from Montreal’s Hovatron, his first for the Lowriders Records imprint. Stuffed to the brim with wonky synth experimentation, analog swagger, and beats heavy enough to send you into cardiac arrest, this EP has vibes for days and makes a strong first impression. “Gypsy Trader” opens the EP with a cloud of 8-bit synth arpeggios, giving way to a pounding bounce beat and seasick synths that sound like they could have been pulled from old sci-fi movies. “Super Soaker” finds Hovatron in the future-crunk territory inhabited by contemporaries like Lunice, with a minimal Dirty South-inspired beat that makes a perfect backdrop for meandering g-funk synths and tinkering bells. The standout of the bunch, though, is “Young Blood” a slo-mo house number that sounds like something Nicolas Jaar would make after playing Super Nintendo in his basement for too long. The EP also features four impressive remixes that add a lot of depth to Hovatron’s sound. Mshini Wam, better known as Spoek Mathambo, turns “Gypsy Trader” into a frenetic jam revolving around soca snares and percolating acid bass, while legendary Vancouver producer Vaughn Robert Squire (under his new Prison Garde moniker) elaborates on the original track’s bounce influence by fleshing out the percussion and stripping down the synth work. Elsewhere, Berlin-based beatsmith Doshy takes “Super Soaker” on a blunt ride through seesaw synths, wonky bass, and swirling laser beams. Halp, Rotterdam’s premiere crunk-slinger, rounds out the collection with his reworking of “Delorean Driver,” a half-step track that morphs into an analog, hyperdriven dance affair. Overall this is a stellar release from some really talented artists, so be sure to pick it up from Boomkat or your favorite retailer!

HOVATRON EP snippets by Lowridersrecordings