Spencer Brown And ilan Bluestone Team Up For Next Chapter In Collaborative Series, The Austin EP

A project that’s got us enamoured since 2019 is back for more.

This has been one of the best pieces of news I’ve been graced to deliver this year, not because of any decorative numbers or nominations attached to it, but because these two guys are among my most profound influences regarding musical taste and production. Spencer Brown and ilan Bluestone are back with yet another collaborative EP, titled the Austin EP.

What I love about this duo is that these guys don’t sound like either/or. They create something distinct from their solo work, yet you can completely make out the silhouette of both on their own. Spencer himself recently posted on Instagram, and perceives the same thing I do: “ilan has been a big bro to me since the day we met. Even with our different styles, we’re always in the studio together, just making music for fun. Zero pressure, just vibing“.

This is just one of the various instances they’ve joined forces. They’ve provided us with stuff like ‘Steelyard’, ‘Gatekeeper’, and ‘Amber Leaf’, the latter of which came out on Spencer’s own Equanimity album in 2023. Brown has also remixed ilan a couple of times, first tackling ‘Frozen Ground’ in 2017 and then ‘Will We Remain?’ the year after. The story runs back for both.

The Austin EP

The Austin EP contains three tracks: two originals and one remix. ‘Austin‘ and ‘Hugo’s Couch‘ are the first records lined up, and the closing track is a Paul Deep remix of the furniture-themed tune, straight from my favourite country, Argentina.

‘Austin’

Beefy like nothing else, ‘Austin‘ is a very interesting track based strictly upon the grooves of the kick, bassline, and drums. Its catchy and warm bassline grabs your attention and gets the momentum rolling as the star of the show. The pads are soft, nothing is super in-your-face. The general sound of the track is super floaty and fly-away-ish, tethered back down to Earth only by that exquisite kick-bass groove. I bet both producers made their best Imhotep faces while listening to the final version. It’s neat.

‘Hugo’s Couch’

‘Hugo’s Couch‘ keeps that same vibe rolling, maintaining the ethereal yet dark and groovy atmosphere, with floaty pads and soundbeds carrying you high into the sky. The hat groove is a little bit different here, as it is a bit more machine-engineered, playing around with the release of different elements, and it also tells a great story of tension and release. Both ‘Austin’ and ‘Hugo’s Couch’ are very minimalistic, but they are far from monotonous or boring. It is a perfect formula to enjoy the tale they have to tell you.

‘Hugo’s Couch (Paul Deep Remix)’

Paul Deep‘s remix is, I would dare to say, exactly what this EP needed to close out perfectly. While both original tracks are, as discussed before, based on the concept of “just enough elements”, Paul was able to take ‘Hugo’s Couch’, retain its core essence, and go absolutely wild with percussion grooves. This track is a fine piece of Progressive House bliss. It is an absolute gem. This piece brings the vibes of the original into a different crowd entirely. I can definitely see this one being played at a Hernan Cattaneo festival, or even someone like Guy Mantzur. Paul, you’ve done a superb job.

I’m so happy that these three tracks came together, because the whole package just makes sense.

Listen to Spencer Brown and ilan Bluestone‘s brand-new Austin EP, by hitting the ‘Play‘ button on the Spotify player below. Be sure to follow our page to stay up to date on the latest news and views regarding our beloved Dance music industry.