For their second Ostgut Ton EP, Sunao Gonno and Nick Höppner worked together on three tracks over the course of two years between their respective studios in Tokyo and Berlin – editing, altering and tweaking each other’s musical additions with a penchant toward melodic, multilayered house and techno that floats easily beyond the functional. Accordingly, Lost is defined by the interactive playfulness and unpredictability of their collaborative process, elements often missing from dance music.

Höppner initially met Gonno on various trips to Tokyo. But it wasn’t until Gonno came play to Panorama Bar in 2015 that the two first entered the studio together: “I think we spoke three words in eight hours,” explains Sunao of their previous studio jams that eventually led to Fantastic Planet EP [O-TON 95, 2016], describing a flowing musical process in which music succeeded where words failed.

On Lost, the duo continue further out into inner space. On “Bangalore”, the duo showcase their mastery of creating expansive long, psychedelic ecosystems of melodic phrasing and rhythmic development; drawn-out techno exploration. “Love Lost” slows things down to a post-disco boogie chug of breaks, bass, dubby synth stabs and sadness. EP closer “Start Trying” is a sweaty, post-peaktime trip of strings and dilated pupils. Swirling melodies braindancing long after the after party.

• Bangalore
• Love Lost
• Start Trying

Andreas [LUPO] Lubich at Loop-O Mastering, Berlin