Recommended: Toro y Moi / Dog Bite - Lyin (Pt. 1–4) / Would Be

It’s not easy for an artist to shake the genre chains strung around him or her, especially when the genre in question was born directly out of his or her music. So far Toro y Moi has been able to distance himself from the chillwave tagline and construct what a majority of people would liken to pop music. Obviously, Bundick is not a one trick pony and in recent years his productions have mosied from chillwave to beats to house and loads of points in between. His labelmate Dog Bite could very well be in a similar position in a few years’ time, but for the moment he rests comfortably in the arms of lo-fi indie rock. Hot off the release of their new albums “Anything In Return” and “Velvet Changes” both artists have decided to treat us to a 7-inch of off album cuts.

Stream: Toro y Moi – Lyin (Pt. 1-4) (Carpark Records)

Simply put, Toro y Moi’s contribution to the record can be liken to a beat tape albeit a short one, clocking in at less than four and a half minutes. “Lyin (Pt. 1-4)” features, as expected, four musical snippets. In that amount of time he shows off the versatility of his production abilities touching on west coast styled funk and sampled based beats. Part one in particular is something we’d like to hear an extended version of – smooth Rhodes, slinky basslines, and Bundick’s voice in perfect line with the instrumental. On the flip, Dog Bite’s “Would Be” is more in line with his debut album material. It’s a healthy mix of sunburnt drums and legato strumming. It’s captivating and the type of music that makes sense when lying out with friends around dusk. With the pair touring together this showcases the contrast in their styles nicely and gives you a good idea of what to expect during their shows. At the same time there are clear links between the two, particularly in the final atheistic of the recordings.