Songwriter/producer Dexter Tortoriello AKA Houses today released a remix of new single “Fast Talk” by Still Woozy. The remix blends the vocals of the catchy original with Still Woozy’s own indelible acoustic and electronic arrangements. Houses’ upcoming EP featuring four new tracks will be released on September 28th via Downtown Records.

Lead single “Fast Talk,” featuring backing vocals of longtime Houses member Megan Messina, unfolds in hazy rhythms formed from chopped-up breakbeats and live percussion from timpani, glockenspiel, and a couple bottles of antidepressant medication.

Dexter Tortoriello AKA Houses on “Fast Talk”:

“That song is meant to be a memorial for a group of friends I had back in my late teens,” “Thematically it’s almost like a ballet where you keep driving around the same blocks, and people start disappearing from the car because they’re going to jail or dying.”

Though the new EP is Houses’ first release since the A Quiet Darkness LP, the past few years have been undeniably busy for Tortoriello with work as Dawn Golden (his producer project via Mad Decent), co-production/writing for Lil Yachty (“Forever Young”), Kali Uchis (“Melting”), Ryan Hemsworth, Martin Garrix, and others, in addition to a slate of high-profile remixes for the likes of Major Lazer, Kings of Leon, Odesza, and more. Drugstore Heaven marks a major artistic shift for Tortoriello. Abandoning the heady concepts of his previous records for some of his tightest songwriting yet, Tortoriello is embracing the most fascinating character in his musical universe: himself.

For Tortoriello, the deepest achievement of Drugstore Heaven lies in building a body of work that feels entirely true to the world in his head. “In the past I’ve felt self-conscious about the person I put forth in my music, but these songs feel very reflective of who I really am,” he says. Being this open still feels new to him, but for the listener, it’s a rewarding glimpse into the mind of a vital and forward-thinking artist.