- Maya Jane Coles revisits her bass alias with two catchy tunes.
- Last year, Maya Jane Coles returned to her bass music alias, Nocturnal Sunshine, with Foundation. Like that EP, U&ME updates the side project's sound. Earlier Nocturnal Sunshine releases had dubstep's cavernous sound design and stepping rhythms, while Foundation and U&ME are infused with dark garage's forward momentum. U&ME's title track has 2-step's agility and syncopated slap, while "Radiate" rolls a four-to-the-floor kick under a swishy, fluttering break at dubstep's 140-BPM tempo.
Leaning into garage is a timely move, as a new crop of artists push a modern take on shuffling broken beats. As with previous Nocturnal Sunshine material, "U&ME" and "Radiate" land close to post-dubstep, thanks to wooly textures, pitched vocals and purring Reese-style basslines. Coles has spent about a decade playing in big rooms, and her productions reflect that. As such, U&ME's super-processed vocals may be a hard sell for those averse to pop flair. But even the most outrageous elements are done in moderation, like the white noise on "U&ME" that stays low in the mix. Incorporating hallmarks like proggy synths and guitar licks that invoke '90s alt rock, U&ME sounds unmistakably like Coles.
TracklistA U&ME
B Radiate