[Aim]

Flori (born Jamie Taylor) is well known for his collaborations with Ethyl, but he’s been out on his own lately, and Foldings marks his third solo release. It’s also his first for the Aim label, which seems like a natural match for his sound — his take on deep house is usually subtle and prizes sound design over giant hooks. The EP certainly delivers in this respect.

The downtempo “Dusty Socks” is underscored by crackle, but lo-fi house it is not — its rhythm is almost soporifically cushioned, and many of the elements Taylor stacks on top, particularly a cranky chord pattern, seem depleted at first, dragged down by its plod. He does well to anchor them, though, and the track’s swirling groove is carried through by percolating hand drums and a slinking bass line. “Frosty Leo” is more propulsive but a bit less nuanced, mostly focused on the interplay between lightheaded, entwining synth lines and plush pads. On the flip, Taylor’s title track is swathed in ambience, but the producer’s quirky, pitch-diving twinges keep it from being over-serious, “sexy” deep house mode. This might be more of a positive if the track had more thrust to begin with. “SU-3150” has no problems in that regard. The track is a roller, unfurling loose, slightly offbeat chords and zapping synths with ease. It’s a smooth, confident conclusion to an EP that, while textured, is slightly disordered and erratically paced.