Artist-production team Jesse Rankins and Eddie Smith III, collectively known as WatchTheDuck, release The Trojan Horse, a new EP driven by the club-ready singles “Making Luv To The Beat” featuring T.I. and “Stretch 2-3-4” featuring Pharrell Williams, today. Rankins and Smith have been making music together since the early 2000s, when they spun their successful production outfit into an act of their own, honing their “electronic soul” sound through the release of projects like the Black Music On Molly Re-Mixtape, Anatidaephobia EP, and Don’t Watch Me mixtape.

Released by Epic Records in conjunction with Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records, The Trojan Horse showcases the amped-up soul and irreverence for the conventional that Rankins and Smith have exhibited since day one, marrying elements like thundering subs, shimmering trap hats, dramatic EDM drops, and James Brown-style vocal acrobatics. As easily as the pair combines influences, they call on friends known to the dance, hip-hop, and pop music scenes to pull it off, with The Trojan Horse boasting six guest collaborators across its seven tracks.

While some of the EP’s collaborations rose organically, other relationships flourished under the guidance of Reservoir SVP of Creative and Business Development Faith Newman, who signed the band to their publishing deal at Reservoir in January. Newman, who linked the band to The Trojan Horse’s “Lost Future” guest artist Afrojack and “6 Shots” collaborator Candice Pillay, recalls the inclusive spirit that surrounded the making of the EP.

“The most refreshing part of working with WatchTheDuck, besides their enormous talent, is the fact that they don’t have a comfort zone,” Newman says. “They rarely say no to new collaborations because they want to push boundaries. They genuinely want to know, ‘What would happen if we got in the studio together?’ That openness resonates with other artists, who always come out of their session excited to work together again. WatchTheDuck’s attitude is the green light that allows all of us on the team to get creative and make the kinds of connections that lead to unexpected, original albums like The Trojan Horse.”

She adds, “My hope for The Trojan Horse is that the industry approaches it with fresh ears. It’s easy to look at a band and think that you know its style and its sound, but WatchTheDuck is living proof that not everything and everyone can be pigeonholed. Once you listen you’ll see what I mean.”

Stream The Trojan Horse below: