Gentoo – Light EP (Simulacra Records)

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Dedicated to his deceased dog, the latest EP from Gentoo aka Damon Kelly is an album full of emotive and cathartic ambient electronica.

Opener “We Will Run Until We Can’t Run Any More” begins with a gorgeous, huge-sounding introduction, recalling early M83 and Memory Tapes. But rather than explode into a layered, reach-for-the-sky soundscape, the song actually peters out into the minimal slow burn of ‘The Sun Only Sets Here If You Wish It”, with its meandering chorused and delayed guitar lines over a simple drum machine beat, awash with keyboards.

It’s a nice sound, and Kelly explores it to interesting effect across the remaining four songs, especially with highlight ‘I Still Dream Of You’s lonely and exploratory melodies and the title track’s warm, droning organ and synth flourishes.

In case the song titles didn’t give it away, this is pretty dreamy, meditative music with a welcoming, earnest, heart-on-sleeve nature. The EP hints that Kelly could move in a variety of directions from here, but for now this captivating and moving EP – with its ability to sound at once minimal yet expansive and infinite – is ideal for impending laid-back summer nights.

Wyatt Lawton-Masi

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