“Feel Better” is a sneaky track. Its young creator, the budding East Coast producer Placeholder, starts off in familiar territory—a set of moody chords, a slightly stuttered kick-and-rimshot pattern, and a ghostly vocal sample trickle to the front of the cut’s opening moments. But “Feel Better” does not develop in any expected way; where most would have likely layered skittering hats or a deep bassline, Placeholder instead runs through a series of playfully simple melodies, lines which sound as if they came from a clarinet but are more likely the result of manipulated vocals. In doing so, the track’s wide caverns of space become as much the focus as any lead element, allowing the listener to find cozy pockets to bury themselves within. “Feel Better” is one of five productions included on the 17-year-old artist’s Under EP, which is available for free via the Hush Hush label’s Bandcamp and features a particularly lush remix from the always enigmatic Wanda Group.

Feel Better