Emapea - Zoning Out Vol. 2 [Clear Yellow]

Emapea picks up right where he left off on Zoning Out Vol. 2, eighteen more laid-back instrumentals, here on 180-gram clear yellow vinyl.

The Polish beatmaker returned to Cold Busted in 2019 with a sequel that keeps the same recipe: short, loop-based pieces with an easy, unhurried swing. Cold Busted has built a loyal following for this kind of mellow beat music, and Emapea fits the label's easygoing spirit perfectly. Even the opener flips the title of the first volume's opening track, a small wink for anyone who plays the two back to back.

Special Update and Flip It Back keep the drums crisp and the grooves rolling, while Headphones Music practically writes its own listening instructions. Last Cypher and Let It Flow nod to the hip-hop roots beneath the calm. Smoking Lounge, Rainy Day and Orange Island lean toward the hazier, more reflective end of his sound, music for gazing out the window while the kettle boils.

As before, the tracks come and go quickly, so the album works best as one continuous mood rather than a collection of singles, ideally heard start to finish in one sitting.

Pair it with the first volume and you have a ready-made soundtrack for slow afternoons, late-night reading and everything in between, with a bright pressing to match.