With less of an emphasis on the vibrant and colorful calling cards which marked his past releases, Gui Boratto has delivered an uncharacteristic pair of productions on the Too Late EP, the Brazilian producer’s first piece of new material since 2011’s III LP.

Both of the EP’s tracks, “Too Late” and “We Can Go,” find Boratto continuing to exist within the basic framework that has defined his music since it first landed on the Kompakt label. Boratto’s work here is perhaps a bit more full-bodied than before, but the music is still very much along the lines of sharp techno and efficient microhouse; each element has been sculpted to exact measurements and has a dedicated purpose, while not much effort has been put towards extra frills or background atmosphere.

Still, “Too Late” and “We Can Go” both suffer from the same major downfall—their vocal offerings. Built atop a percolating bassline and a simple four-on-the-floor beat—which is occasionally joined by tight percussion fills and quick guitar riffs—the titular tune eventually shows itself to be a piece of harmless techno-pop. It’s led by a female vocal, which unrolls a somewhat meaningless four-bar phrase throughout its eight-minute run. In truth, the vocals are not necessarily offensive on their own, but they do quickly strike the listener as a bit unnecessary, especially when Boratto’s production dips into its luscious breakdown; full of extra chords and ping-ponging melodies, that part of the song provides a brief glimpse into what has traditionally been the artist’s strong suit. “We Can Go” fairs similarly poorly on the vocal front, though this song’s series of short phrases—which have been entrusted to a nameless male vocalist—don’t detract as dramatically from what could have otherwise been a decent, albeit slightly overcharged, b-side. Ultimately though, neither “Too Late” and “We Can Go” prove to be worth the wait.