A new Gerard Hanson record is always something to get excited about. They tend to pop up sporadically, making little fuss, in a manner that only adds to their cultish appeal. Having first made his mark with the refined dub techno of Convextion over two decades ago, the American producer broadened his horizons with electro productions as E.R.P., and has peppered the lot with a wealth of remixes and a handful of releases via other aliases (such as 2014’s T/O/L EP, a sun-kissed three-tracker that somehow flew under the radar). Solar One Music is next on his agenda, with Ancient Light: as the second part in a series that the label is dedicating to the Hubble Telescope, it is a record that is endowed with the same celestial character as the NASA-built craft.

The EP opens with the floaty “Ancient Light,” a gentle ride that centres around a classic Hanson bassline, undulating under a bunch of faraway keys that rise and fall like shooting stars. The title track is complimented with a remix by label frontman The Exaltics, flipping the tune on its head and transforming it into pulsating, headstrong electro—a direct style that is matched by the trance-influenced “Eagle Nebula.” It is in “Gleaning Creation” that everything comes together, striking a perfect middle ground amongst the rest. Metallic claps make way for a fidgety hook, as strange extra-terrestrial bleeps transmit from Hanson’s synths. It’s cold, angular music, yet it holds a unique appeal that few others can muster.

Ancient Light is scheduled for release on April 18.