Considering electro-pop producer Gracie is responsible for not one but two of my favorite tracks of the year (spoiler alert?), when I heard news that Gracie was out in Los Angeles recording a new EP, I was elated that we'd be getting more music so soon. I mean Gracie's Bleeder EP did just come out less than a year ago. And yet here we are, with a brand spanking EP in our laps.
It's a little unfair perhaps to expect Gracie to trot out something with the all-attention consuming prowess of "Creature Pleaser" on every release. Especially considering he's no one trick pony and has essentially gone out of his way not to be so. And yet, that's unfortunately what I was hoping for out and found lacking the Work It Out EP's three song jaunt. That's not to say that there's nothing worthwhile on the Work It Out EP - there's a lot happening and a lot to hear on it.
Album starter "Make Me Glad" is a veritable bounty of varying sounds and influences in and of itself. The closest I hope Gracie comes to the recent indie R&B resurgence, it's all chill beats and laid back top-down driving music vibes. Combine that with slow jazz-y sax runs and loosely shredworthy guitar riffs and it's really hard to classify "Make Me Glad" as anything but a Gracie track. And not even a standard or trademark one at that.
"Photo Type" is probably the most straight forward of the EP's track with its smooth grooves and breezy melodies and under-reliance on beats for momentum. It's a track that pretty much coasts (albeit with quite a bit of pep in its quick-step) towards it's pseudo-experimental breakdown finish. "Wait 4 It" closes the album on an emotive note in a similar way to the Bleeder EP's "Habits". It's emotion-stirring but not at the risk of sacrificing Gracie's sleek pop stylishness.
Considerably shorter than the Bleeder EP, Gracie has considerably less time to grab your attention and extrapolate on his musical ideas. It sounds daunting but on the Work It Out EP, Gracie does so with deft and grace. Each song an enjoyable slice of electro-pop goodness in its own right but ultimately fitting together just so. There may not be an absolutely infectious song in this fresh batch of new tracks but there doesn't really need to be. The Work It Out EP's tracks aren't of an overbearing and all-consuming poppy nature but could easily fit into the soundtrack of your life and isn't that essentially the job of a good record? Yes. The answer is yes.
Listen to Gracie's three song Work It Out EP:
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