- A trippy dimension somewhere between ambient and tech house.
- On their debut EP from not too long ago, Toronto-based Active Surplus (AKA Emissive and Tan Sierra, who formerly went by Ian Syrett) crafted sleepy, rhythmic rollers that nodded to West Coast house music. Since then, the duo have focused on pairing delicate, rippling grooves with forceful basslines—their recent remix for Montreal act E-Prime, for instance, played with acid and electro elements.
Mirroring, their second EP, is a deeper exploration of no-nonsense club sounds through the lens of laidback melodies and slower, extended arrangements. Take "Cerulean Blue"—it's rooted in ambient house, but has a techy underside. From the get-go, poignant synth lines go head-to-head with stabbing drums and as cascading, psychedelic notes emerge, they're met with gritty acid squiggles and thick claps. It's a striking balance of hard and soft, stillness and propulsion, that perfectly fits the Active Surplus modus operandi.