Previously compared to artists like RL Grime and Baauer, What So Not strays from his festival trap roots and heads in a deconstructed, sad-banger direction with his new, five-track EP “Gemini”.

While he was previously known for songs like “Tell Me”, “Jaguar” and “High You Are”, which blew up after Branchez remixed it, What So Not’s newest release ventures into the realm of more serious and slow EDM that spans artists like trap-heavy UZ.

“Gemini” ft. George Maple

Produced by Emoh Instead and Flume, the original duo who comprised What So Not, this track surges to the depths of electronic music and features vocals from Australian singer and producer George Maple.

The track hit Soundcloud 8 months ago, but kept the hype with its dramatic style and synth-filled beat.

George Maple, referred to as the “musical alter ego” of seductive future pop singer Jessica Higgs, is actually dating Chris Emerson, AKA Emoh Instead, now the lone man behind the What So Not project.

“Arrows” with Dillon Francis, ft. Dawn Golden

Dawn Golden, the creator of the trendy, remixable track “All I Want”, comes through with melancholy vocals, but I don’t hear much of Dillon Francis’ influences in this song. The slow, heavy percussion contrasts with the upbeat, moombahton style that he normally follows.

The leadup to the drop sounds promising, but it ultimately underwhelms with empty beats and slow, repetitive track fragments.

“Death Drive” ft. KLP

This song opens with echoing guitar riffs and narrates a tale of self-destruction by heartbreak. I think it has great remixing potential, but the original production could use some liveliness. Instead, the vocals of KLP, who collaborated with What So Not on the viral “Jaguar” track, get bogged down by what seems to be extraneous tribal drums and forest bird calls.

“Oddity”

This one’s a mishmash of garbled noises with no coherent drop. That’s my simple take.

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Listen to the EP on Soundcloud.

I’m still hooked on some of their old tracks and remixes, so in case you were wondering…