I’ve been following Eden for almost a decade now—discovering him in 2016 with the release of his first two full length projects, End Credits and i think you think too much of me. Before this, I remember him also making waves with his marginally smaller EDM solo work under the alias, The Eden Project.

That was in 2013, and while I can go back and listen to much of his older work for curiosity or nostalgia, it does lead me to the conclusion that I am getting old. I don’t listen to many of the artists I did from my teen years because I gained new experiences; I gained a new sense of self, and with that, I began to look for different things in music. And while I’m sure those old Eden records are likely doing something special for a new generation of listeners, it’s difficult to see myself going back to a song like “rock + roll” just because of where I am in my life.

However, and this is a big however, one of the reasons I’ve stuck with Eden is because it’s not always about what he’s saying, but how he says it. This album is 13 songs, 40 minutes long, and it goes by incredibly quick. The production on this album is some of the best Eden has put forward in his entire career, and that’s because of a willingness to experiment and go beyond what’s needed of an artist like him; he’s refused to be pigeonholed in the very box he created for himself, and as a listener, I enjoyed it.

There aren’t many common themes throughout the songs in Dark, but this absolutely works to its benefit. Eden’s last album, ICYMI, was hands down the riskiest thing he’s put out, and it’s still my favorite album of his. The production on that album is glitchy, the songwriting matches the cracking of the vocals, and for the first time since the EDM days, Eden’s songwriting is being backed up by proper modern production. So in many ways, Dark is a return to form in that Eden created a proper electronic album. He blends elements of pop, electronica, indie, R&B, and even some post punk on the final track too.

What makes this album such a worthwhile listen is that the songs have a pulse, whereas albums like vertigo and no future took the indie and lo-fi influences way too seriously and missed out on what made Eden such a blast to listen to. Dark immediately kicks off with “still,” giving listeners one of the most upbeat and sporadic Eden songs of all time. Those refrains of “I know it’s dark / but it’s hell” are so haunting, and even though that lyric is interesting on its own, the way the drums overpower it gives it such an uncertain and shaky feeling. For my money, it’s the best song on the album.

Simultaneously, both “Zzz” and “TEAM” follow the same glitchy production style. Track after track, Eden shows himself willing to experiment with different sounds and production styles, making this one of his most ambitious projects yet. It should be noted that despite its slower pace, “TEAM” doesn’t slow the pace of the album down because of how slick and constantly changing the songs are.

It’s the drums, it’s the synths, it’s the way Eden’s voice pokes out in front of the mix and morphs into whatever new, creative sound the song requires of it that makes it so interesting. Actually, it’s because of this flexibility that many of the ballads don’t work as well for me. Both “Paris, Teargas” and “pocket (montreal)” are slow starters to me, which feels odd considering how powerful Eden’s voice usually is with this kind of music (go listen to “crash” or “Wake Up” if you haven’t). That isn’t to say his voice doesn’t fit with every ballad on this album, but it isn’t until we get to the very melodramatic “Cold Water Freestyle” that Eden acquires some much needed chemistry with fellow indie artist Savannah Hudson. It isn’t the best duet in Eden’s catalog, but you’re definitely better off hearing it.

I’d also like to give a quick mention of “Quantuuuum,” the closing track, because it is one of Eden’s most ambitious songs to date. I mentioned earlier that there were post-punk influences all over this song, but I’d also like to take a moment and appreciate how sharp much of the singing on this track is. Even if Eden’s not belting like he was on ICYMI, the emotional complexity is definitely present, and as the song continues to roar on, you can definitely feel how busy Eden wanted this album to feel. This isn’t stripped back or solemn like no future, nor is it slick and adventurous like End Credits.

These latest two albums represent something new in Eden’s career—something more daring and experimental in more ways than one. Because after being in the music industry for more than a decade—an industry veteran, per se—why bother making the same music over and over again? Because it gets you streams? Artists who make music for the love of the game will continue expanding their craft, even when it doesn’t fully benefit them, and Dark is a stunning example of that. So in case you missed it, Eden’s latest album is currently available on streaming, physical, or go support the artist and listen to it live.