You’d think that LA native and card carrying WEDIDIT Collective member Earnest Blount (a.k.a. Ian Simon) would have his feet firmly rooted in the well established “beat scene,” but his newest EP—which will be released by the newly formed Alpha Pup imprint, Teaching Machine, on June 12—proves that he’s at the helm of something much different. Aptly titled Other Directions, Simon’s forthcoming record features the scorching opener “You Tope, Ya?,” a six-minute journey through soundscapes crafted from chopped-up, high-pitched R&B vocals, shifting syncopated rhythms, and layers upon layers of wonky synths, all of which seems much more UK-inspired than it sounds born of SoCal’s beatmaking traditions.

You Tope, Ya_

You Tope, Ya

You Tope Ya