Production duo ODESZA releases second addictive EP

Although West Coast electronic group ODESZA’s new five-track EP My Friends Never Die is just shy of 16 minutes in length, the album itself is anything but minimal.

ODESZA, the Seattle-based production duo of Harrison Mills (Catacombkid) and Clayton Knight (BeachesBeaches) self-released their EP on Tuesday, less than one month after dropping the title track “My Friends Never Die” and follow-up track “If There’s Time.”

With overwhelmingly positive feedback for these two tracks, I feared the rest of the album might disappoint. But I’m happy to say I was wrong — the only disappointment with this EP is that it isn’t longer.

Despite the short length, however, ODESZA showcases a mastery of its craft with the vibe and variety the album provides. The EP, though highly energetic, still manages to hold a heavily melodic feel from one track to the next.

According to duo’s website, ODESZA was born shortly after Mills and Knight met during their senior year of college. After a summer of collaboration following graduation, ODESZA released its first ever LP Summer’s Gone on Sept. 5, 2012.

For being only one year old, ODESZA’s popularity has steadily risen, with more than 12,000 fans on Facebook and 17,000 followers on SoundCloud. The positive reactions of listeners to “My Friends Never Die” and “If There’s Time” suggest the duo’s popularity will continue to increase with the EP’s release.

Each song on the EP seems to tell its own “tale” through a multi-layered and expertly executed blend, starting with its title track, “My Friends Never Die.” The highly-addictive three-minute song is jam-packed with entrancing melodies, eclectic vocals and a beat that makes it impossible not to stomp your feet and dance (and this is saying a lot because I don’t dance).

Following “My Friends Never Die” is, in order, follow-up track “If There’s Time,” “Without You,” “Home” and “Keep Her Close,” many of which incorporate blends of bass-heavy beats and segments from both new- and old-time pop hits. “Without You,” which pairs Gotye’s 2011 mega-hit “Somebody That I Used to Know” with a quick-paced, fantasy-esque melody in this impressively complex mix.

Most of the EP’s tracks embody the same energetic “I-just-want-to-dance” vibe, with the exception of the fourth song, “Home.” This song, which ismuch calmer in nature than the other tracks, is almost reminiscent of ODESZA’s former album Summer’s Gone. With cut-up Beach Boys-like vocals and the incorporation of ‘80s-esque instrumentals, “Home” takes the listener a step back from the explosive liveliness of the preceding tracks.

Following “Home,” the EP concludes with the three-and-a-half minute track “Keep Her Close.” This track transitions out from the slow and sensual feel of “Home” and back into the high-energy M.O. of the entire EP. With “Keep Her Close,” ODESZA combines a cool and unconventional beat with choppy, female vocal samples and unusual sound effects. “Keep Her Close” is a perfect closer for the album, vividly reflecting the individual production styles of both Mills and Knight.

On Sept. 21 — just four days following its EP release — ODESZA will join music producer Michal Menert and electronic favorite Pretty Lights in its first ever coast-to-coast tour, with an Oct. 12 tour date scheduled at The Middle East in Cambridge.

In the meantime, ODESZA’s My Friends Never Die EP is streamable and downloadable for free on the duo’s website, www.odesza.com.