May 11, 2011 12:05 PM ET
Click to listen to Mayer Hawthorne's new EP, 'Impressions"
Mayer Hawthorne's Impressions EP finds the Los Angeles singer and producer putting his own spin on classic tunes by Electric Light Orchestra and the Isley Brothers as well selections by contemporary acts like Chromeo and Jon Brion. Hawthorne's production style is slick and meticulous, calling back to the rich, elegant sound of early Seventies tracks by Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes while including subtle modern touches. Though his takes on ELO's cheery hit "Mr. Blue Sky" and the obscure soul single "You've Got the Makings of a Lover" are remarkably faithful, it's most thrilling to hear Hawthorne reimagine "Don't Turn the Lights On," a recent track by the Montreal electro duo Chromeo, as an orchestral soul slow jam.
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