Solo Elektronika is a project of electronica artist Matthew Cahoon, who’s also been involved with an electronic rock group Everpresent.

With his Solo Elektronika release, Cahoon explores an area he calls “danceable soundscapes and groove hypnosis”. He says the music is designed to create “a futuristic dream-like atmosphere”. The CD EP features a collection of mellow electronic instrumentals, somewhere between Tangerine Dream’s later work and some of the down-tempo instrumentals of artists like Sasha.

The packaging for the CD EP is very classy. The cover features a digital illustration of an arctic seascape which captures the feel of the music perfectly.

As electronica goes, Solo Elektronika is very, very chilled-out. The tracks have a dispassionate quality about them. The drum programming is fairly laid-back, there’s no improvised or athletic playing, and Cahoon avoids the tried and true builds and breakdowns common in dance electronica. The result is a little cold, but this seems to be part of the aesthetic Cahoon is aiming for.

The instrumentation is primarily electronic. The tracks pair melodic synth lines with dance-friendly drum programming. The drum work is varied, but sticks to slower tempos and a chilled vibe.

The melodic synthscapes on Solo Elektronika have a cinematic quality and feature creative synth work. This seems most apparent in the introductions and breakdowns of the tracks, where the more mainstream dance percussion sounds drop away and the synths are more exposed. Because Cahoon’s sound work is an important focus of the music, the music seems to benefit from some volume.

With great sounds, attractive melodies and down-tempo beats, Cahoon delivers an interesting EP of chilled synthscapes.

The Solo Elektronika site has more information and audio samples.