[Wave Music]

John Daly has quickly proven to be one of the most promising new producers to emerge over the 18 months. The young Irishman’s productions are as deep and elemental as they are anachronistic, recalling a simpler era of electronic music dominated by artists such as Klaus Schulze (Tangerine Dream), Manuel Göttsching (Ash Ra Tempel) and Cluster. His stylistic ties to electronic music’s roots are what set him apart from his deep-house contemporaries, as his tunes bear the warm and full-bodied mark of analog synths VSTs still struggle to properly emulate. So far this year he’s released a double LP on Plak rounding up his singles for the label and the debut single for International Records Recordings, Areal’s new sub-label. The “Atlantis EP,” Daly’s third for Wave Music, splits the difference between deep-house movers and serene electronic numbers.

“Atlantis” opens the EP with a sense of wonder, both in its gradually unfolding arrangment and its soft spoken, wide-eyed choice of pitches, which gently oscillate and drone under the ribbed texture provide by a fingerpicked guitar line. While Daly follows a more traditional blueprint for “Count Down to Zero” — delayed aquamarine synth jabs and a tightly looped clavichord bass line — the curious nature of its synth lead and subtle effects patterns leave it anything but average. “Don’t Look Down” also hews closely to standards, but its drippy synth line and glinting metallic percussion are genuinely propulsive and catchy. Capping off the EP is its most relaxed tune, the lush and acqueous “Gabriel.” “Atlantis EP” is not John Daly’s most original release, but working with a historically rooted aesthetic always runs that risk. What Daly offers is easy on the ears and well executed, which makes the “Atlantis EP” a success in my book. But here’s hoping his forthcoming album for Wave Music eclipses it with ease.