By: Anand Harsh

Barely more than a week after hitting Red Rocks with Shpongle, Christian Bauhofer hits another milestone with the release of his much-anticipated Voyager EP. The 6-track studio effort is full of 808's and those signature full-blown synths, but there's something else, something intangible about this Minnesota release that separates this work from the rest of his material.

We were engulfed in the title track and lead-off single from the EP a few weeks back, but didn't realize that the depths of emotion present in that track were reflective of the entire work. The hip-hop opus "Airships" has such sweet drum sounds, popping and full of vigor. The bounce and inherent swagger is muted by the gorgeous melodies.

The cut with frequent collaborator G Jones, "Thunderdome," is a masterful blending of the two wildly different producers' seemingly incongruous techniques. Once again they pull it off, with remarkable ease and head-nodding intensity.

Closer "Sail Away" is such an exhilarating burst of beauty fraught with this incredible tension and release. The flute lead is so addicting, I know it's going to be rattling around in my head for days.

All signs point to this album as being a kind of sonic turning point in the young producer's career. His production has always been unique and well-crafted, but there's something more tucked into these six songs. I'm at a loss for words (which never happens), and ultimately, even more excited to hear the next phase in Minnesota's development. The Voyager metaphor isn't at all lost here.