Photo courtsey of myspace.com/cassetteswontlisten

If you've wandered into any of Brooklyn's local record stores in the past several months, there's a chance you may have heard a particular collection of tuneful synth-pop songs playing on the stereo. The man responsible for your tapping toes is Jason Drake, the talented one-man live act and recording artist behind Cassettes Won't Listen.

The new Cassettes Won't Listen EP is entitled Small-Time Machine. An EP in length only, it comes across as a fully realized album. Focusing on a specific time period in his life, the songs document a season of heartbreak. Lyrical imagery like "pull the band-aid slow" give the listener a taste of what the songwriter went through. Recorded while he was living on the Lower East Side, the tracks are insular and quiet. This is closet rock: recorded direct and at low volumes so that the neighbors won't be disturbed. "Freeze and Explode" is one of the EP's highlights, showing off Drake's use of texture in soundscapes. Pulsing intervals on a synth anchor the tune's pop charm, a looped drumbeat propels the tune forward, assorted whirls and clicks punctuate transitions, and New Wave guitar lines jump in at just the right moments. "The Broadcast" showcases Drake's penchant for layering understated vocals over claustrophobic layers of drums and fuzz-laden instruments. Clocking in at nearly six minutes, "The Broadcast" is divided into several sections and places the artist's love for the Postal Service on full display.

Recently, many artists have been using loop pedals in their live act, but Drake one-ups them with his MIDI setup. Using a variety of controllers, CWL has evolved from a regular band into an impressive one-man live act. Drake is able to build his songs around various loops and create a compelling, visceral version of his layered studio sound.

Unlike many independent musicians, Drake is actually good at promoting his music. Working at a record label has helped him immensely with this and helped spur the decision to make Small-Time Machine a physical release. As Drake puts it, "anybody can put out their music digitally, but with the physical product you need to know what you're doing. Digitally, anyone can put something out and say they 'have an album out.'" Drake admits that he might be "going against the market" right now but he feels that a physical product gets you in the door. "Physical CDs are still 80% of sales right now," he comments. In other words, artists who are willing to shell out the cash to press their project may be taken more seriously. "I could be releasing albums every month [digitally] and it wouldn't mean a thing commercially," he adds.

According to Drake, the fan base for Cassettes Won't Listen began to grow over the past year. The extra attention he put into promoting the new record has placed it in many more iPods that matter and the subsequent press has been favorable. A successful trip to SXSW this year included five shows and a spot for MTVU. He even has a fan over at Korg, who have offered to sponsor him. Licensing is another commercial path that Drake is pursuing. His music fits that market well and a single licensing deal could support him for a significant stretch.

With all the angst of Small-Time Machine off his chest, Drake is looking forward to planning his next record. He lives in Bushwick now, and has a bit more leeway to make some noise. If there is one thing that will distinguish his next project, it will probably be volume. Drake's record label day job understands the commitment that a touring musician needs and is supportive of his decision to turn in his tie and hit the road. "You can make more money with one license than in an entire tour," says Drake, "and I'd rather have more fun sitting on the money and writing new songs." He may just get his wish... soon.