Over the course of its six-year existence, Flau Records has carved out an identity as a record label offering intimate music. The actual sonic styles of the artists represented by the acts signed to the border-hopping imprint differ ¡ª some make proper songs, some just produce beats, and sometimes there will be a blend of both. One thing in common is that every Flau act sounds like it is whispering in the listener¡¯s ear, from the enveloping warmth of Cokiyu to the kitchen-sink production of Madegg to the sinister hair-raisers Neon Cloud.

Flau¡¯s latest offering, a 12-track split EP between Nagoya-based artist Noah and California¡¯s Sela, also captures this particular aesthetic. Noah was signed to Flau after winning a remix contest for a song by Cokiyu, while Sela has produced tracks for 17-year-old U.S. rapper Kitty. Despite their different backgrounds, the two have a lot in common. For example, they both create beat-centric work, but use vocals as a way to turn simple productions into spine-tinglers. Noah records her actual voice for her half, while Sela sticks to vocal samples. Noah¡¯s woozy ¡°Dune¡± features a combination of her words presented upfront and deep in the background of the mix, while the lyrics on Sela¡¯s ¡°Even¡± sound as if they are coming from the next room over.

It¡¯s the small details that really make this split release a winner. Noah knows when to use vocals ¡ª ¡°Newworld¡± clatters until a piano and her voice shoot up late in the song, a trick that flips the song over and sounds gorgeous. Elsewhere, she buries shouts on ¡°Days,¡± and whispers on the EP¡¯s standout ¡°Do You Remember,¡± touches that make them seem so much more intimate. Sela¡¯s side is more interested in looping, but his contributions bare similar minute touches ¡ª ¡°Violet¡± and the especially gorgeous ¡°Luna¡± conceal muffled vocals that add some mystery. This split EP ends up being unified in sound ... and it is a perfect fit for Flau¡¯s catalog.

Get the Noah ¡Á Sela split EP at or .