Serving as a prelude for the September release of his long-awaited debut album Zentrum, the Let’s Play House label cofounder Jacques Renault returns with the heavy-hitting, four-track Talk System, boasting two originals, a remix from John Barera & Will Martin, and another from London’s Sisterhood. The title cut unfolds at a leisurely pace, with Renault adding in dashes of hissing snares, a humming baseline, and sweet falsetto wisps to build a chugging groove. Recent XLR8R podcasters John Barera & Will Martin inject the original track with a dose of dancefloor panache, using hype, old-school vocals and a riding groove to build what ends up being the high point of the release.
The EP’s second track, “Psyched Up,” lives up to its title, with Renault using stripped-back stuttering drum patterns, a gentle piano riff, and a healthy dose of acid to a mesmerizing, head-bobbing result. The Sisterhood duo, Harry Benson and John Malcolm Moore, take the cut and smooth it out a bit, adding a softer touch to the melody.