DROELOE has a lot to reflect on in 2018. Since their debut in 2016, the Dutch electronic duo has been a shining star on San Holo’s bitbird label. Following their 2017 hits “Sunburn” and “Lines of the Broken,” DROELOE — pronounced “drooloo” — kicked off the year with the release of “BACKBONE,” followed by a string of singles. Now, they’re putting the proverbial “cherry” on top of their accomplishments in their career so far with the release of their new EP, The Choices We Face. As the title suggests, it is a release they’ve deemed as reflective on the choices they’ve had to make in their career so far, leading to successes and failures.

Surprisingly, the guys avoided a common trap for artists: releasing many singles ahead of an EP’s release, leaving the final product with minimal new material to be revealed. In fact, they only released one single, “Looking Back,” a few weeks ahead of The Choices We Face‘s release. A space age, chilled out future track, it is still a stand out amongst six other new pieces of music.

The EP begins with a nostalgic, childlike track in “The First Wish,” when in the context of the release’s inspiration suggests a memory of the dreams and aspirations we have as children. For some, it’s to become famous musicians like DROELOE. “Weird Machine” follows as a memory of learning the ins and outs of electronic music, and with the vocals of favorite collaborator Nevve, hangs on to lullaby-inspired synths and an upbeat melody. We’re next taken on a journey through the duo’s rise, through indie electronica “Taking Flight,” the eerie, ominous melancholy of “LIMBO,” and the reassuring “Step by Step.” “Turn Around” takes us back to where we started but with a renewed sense of optimism. All around, The Choices We Face is something we can all relate to.

Read more: dancingastronaut.com