XLR8R

New Jersey producer Ian Allen‘s debut smacks of relaxed sophistication, lending itself just as easily to swank fashionista soireés as it does to your bedroom. Nova‘s Lounge‘s lush, jazz-inflected pieces are thoughtfully produced but, like many new producers, Allen sometimes falls back on monotonous phrasing, making one yearn for his lovely beats to take a more purposeful direction ("Meet Me Halfway"). Allen is most engaging when he ventures into more percussive territory, using simple but catchy syncopated rhythms ("Kabena") or lean house lines ("Soho Movement").