(New West) After a recent expansion from “two-man boy-band” to full-on trio, electronic pop act Yip Deceiver has followed up its excellent 2013 debut, Medallius, with YPD E.P., a 20-minute, six-track EP. Featuring vocals and production from of Montreal alums Davey Pierce and Nicolas Dobbratz, as well as contributions from new drummer John Swint, YPD E.P. marks the beginning of Yip Deceiver’s transition into a more traditional live band.
Compared to its strong, assured predecessor, YPD E.P. feels lackluster and unsure of itself. Moving away from the weird, synth-heavy electronic moments on Medallius (think “Obnoxia”), the EP puts an emphasis on Chromeo-esque electro-funk/nu-disco, with mixed results. A cover of Jennifer Paige’s ’90s hit “Crush” and the Mayer Hawthorne-produced “Red Line” are unquestionable winners, but uninteresting nostalgia grabs like “Party Line” and “Don’t Stop” fall flat on their face.
None of these songs could be classified as “bad,” but Yip Deceiver’s entire premise is built around producing danceable pop hits, and most of these songs just aren’t hits. There is still plenty of hope for the full-length follow-up—due sometime next year—but YPD E.P. only serves as a halfway decent stopgap.
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