Niche that stars are made of.

Ryan Hemsworth stands, deliberately, as a counterpoint to popular club oriented style of electronic music, choosing to go intimate where others may go big, discreet where others go massive, and charming where others go intimidating. While I personally champion the bombastic nature and grandness of much of modern electronic music, Ryan Hemsworth, on his latest effort Alone for the First Time, skillfully takes his weariness of these styles and channels it into a polished, cozy, and welcoming mini-LP.

Equal parts singer songwriter, plunderphonics, pop, and hip-hop, Hemsworth is carving out a stylistic niche for himself, employing unique sounds that recall children‰’s toys and small gadgets, giving much of his music a playful vibe that‰’s tough to find elsewhere. This is not to say the songs here are immature, as Hemsworth is able to flex his muscles as a skilled songwriter able to evoke quite a well of emotion from the tracks, with “Walk Me Home‰” and “Snow in Newark‰” being particular standouts. Hemsworth‰’s music is a warm blanket on a rainy day, providing comfort for the weary and always being welcome.

RIYL: Ricky Eat Acid, Cashmere Cat, Shlohmo, Baths

Recommended Tracks: 2, 3, 6, 7