Hovercrafting

On this aptly named 2009 EP, Michigan-based electronica artist Osborne (aka DJ/producer Todd Osborn) presents a set of floating house tunes. Issued on the Spectral Sound arm of the Ghostly International label, the release takes off with the extended version of "Wait a Minute," as Osborne's chiming keyboard lines and deft beats are joined by Vocoder vocals. Arto Mwambe's remix of the track grounds it in heavier percussion, while "Fire" returns to an airier vibe of light funk and "The Count" bounces along with video-game-like verve. Despite its brevity, HOVERCRAFTING is undeniably engaging, and primes house-loving listeners for future Osborne releases.