Within the first few seconds, Perth producer/entrepreneurial barber Ta-Ku has put you into a smoothly lush atmosphere. Displaying his power over composition, Songs To Make Up To is a blissful flow of samples and vocals that evolves so naturally that it goes beyond pleasurable listening. Eliciting such a level of emotion where only half the tracks feature lyrics shows what a well thought out production can achieve, and brings it to a fine art.
The opening “Hopeful” is a beautiful track, rising steadily as it picks up the pace like the realisation that yeah, we could do this, we could do anything. And that sets the mood for this whole EP, each tune seamlessly slides into the next, surrounding you in gorgeously light but powerful layers until you’re inspired to do everything.
Settling into “Love Again” featuring JMSN and Sango, it’s time for the vocals to come into play, keeping with that soft pacing tinged with upbeat percussion in the background. What makes this a track a standout for me and has it repeating in my mind hours later is the styling; those little touches that give it some uniqueness, the stuttering of the vocals at the end of the chorus and the way everything is flawlessly timed, coexisting without drowning in sound. You get the chance to appreciate every single sound that went into each track. Not to mention on the side that I’m big on classical music, so this is hitting all the right vibes for me right now especially how it is blended with the modern, introducing a strong percussion beat at the end of the track.
If you ever had Ta-Ku’s previous single “Vibrations” on repeat, then “Trust Me” will be the perfect pairing, bringing out that same grainy irregular background sample melded with a simple electronic build. An intro of Big Scary-esque piano bridges to “Long Time No See”, where you just melt into a soundscape of looping vocals and blissful harmonies echoing against a bouncing pace throughout the whole track, throw in some strings and this is a great mid-point for the EP.
“Sunrise/Beautiful” is a jumpstart to the fade out you’re left with, building up the production with what sounds like Alt-J rocking some BBQ tongs and the stage by stage introduction of each layer until the vocals of Jordan Rakei lean in like a sultry midnight serenade. Occasionally, an artist will have a song that’s broken into segments that leaves me frustrated with which way they were trying to take it, but the way these tracks are constructed is just so at ease that you’re ready for whatever journey it takes you on. Production, verse, pause, verse, production, pause, fade out. It just flows around you like a late afternoon tide.
Another minimalist track arrives in “Fall4You” featuring Sunni Colon that fits in well with that catchy repetitive niche that can’t help reminding me of a mellowed out Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams collab and by this stage, I’m so relaxed Ta-Ku could put in a ten minute stretch of white noise before I bothered to raise a questioning eyebrow.
“Work In Progress” is that piano recital you had to go to, or a sibling’s ballet showcase, or your talented friends whatever. It’s that one that had you in your chair so hypnotised that you were stuck in your mind with the sudden decision that you were totally going to learn piano or to dance or whatever and make something beautiful too. It was being involved in such a contagious display of passion that you were re-evaluating your life and what you were going to achieve and then, the show’s over and the magic fades and you leave your seat, signalling an end to the reverie that this EP provokes.
Bonus tracks often bug me out, they’re usually this outstanding creation that for some reason didn’t necessarily fit into the record itself but goddamn, you wish they had. “Down For You” brings back the “Long Time No See” track but this time with the honeyed vocals of Alina Baraz mesmerizing you, demonstrating how Ta-Ku’s production choices are so influential that one change turns the track a different way.
Overall this EP is exactly what it set out to be, Songs To Make Up To is that point after an argument where you realise everything is stupid except that person. Each track is so subtly compelling and uplifting, it’s hard to lose interest without being pulled back in. It’s a velvety daydream that doesn’t need to rely on big drops, immersing you in quirky textures and encapsulating the EP design. I don’t know how this would translate to a live show necessarily, it’s more of a mood lighting affair, but still I wouldn’t change any aspect of it. It’s the perfect ecosystem of emotion all tailored to one point, it’s hopeful, it’s stirring. Chuck it on when you get home this afternoon, watch the sunset, relax, and fall in love.
Review Score: 8.8 out of 10. 
Songs To Make Up To is out now.
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