- Helmed by Little White Earbuds' editor, Steve Mizek, Argot's stated focus is on showcasing American talent. Launched this time last year with an EP by veteran Amir Alexander, the Chicago label has since released music from Olin, Pittsburgh Track Authority and, most recently, Policy. Their fifth release is the debut EP from Detroit-based newcomer Elizabeth Merrick-Jefferson.
Rugged and with a sound indebted to her hometown, "Go Home" knots clashing loops alongside sporadic bursts of analogue instrumentation. Battling for supremacy, the components never quite sync or reach a climax. The drum arrangement on B-side "John Kronk" is equally abstract and crowded, but there's more of a hook this time, with rave-like piano chords and a scale of bells providing the pull. The more spacious and melodic "Astronomical Twilight" is the EP's standout, with arresting chimes suspended over faded yet frenetic drums. It's this spellbinding quality that suggests the best is still to come from Merrick-Jefferson.
Tracklist A Go Home
B1 John Kronk
B2 Astronomical Twilight