The first time I heard "Senseless" from Maya Jane Coles' latest EP I was, quite simply, blown away. Even though it was being played relatively quietly in a noisy office environment, it scythed through the distractions, and made the room feel a little brighter and less oppressive. Edging closer in style to some of her aliases rather than the straight-up house sounds with which she's made her name, it's electronic-pop-meets-techno that is blissfully self-unaware and restrained.
With the rest of the EP, Coles explores more familiar territory, a fact that will no doubt please the ever-growing number of DJs looking forward to her every release. And while there's nothing on this particular EP as instantly catchy as "What They Say" or "Hummingbird," the result is as accomplished, involving and engrossing as anything she's produced to date—whether it be the endlessly repeating muted synth stabs of "Little One," the crackling melancholy of "The High Life" or the bubbling, ethereal title track. The word "polished" is used a lot to describe this kind of attention to detail, and while that's not the right word to use in this case—the gritty surfaces of all of these records are certainly weather-beaten—Focus Now sees Coles continuing to develop her unique and deeply atmospheric style.
Buy Maya Jane Coles - Focus Now at
  
Tracklist: Maya Jane Coles - Focus Now
 A1 Focus Now
A2 Little One
B1 Senseless
B2 The High Life
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