John Summit’s new album “CTRL ESCAPE” begs the question, “Where do we go when the lights go out?” — and answers it. 

The DJ and producer’s sophomore album was released Wednesday— just in time for tax day — and chronicles his escape from his nine-to-five job as an accountant to become a full-time, festival-headlining artist. 

Throughout the album, Summit explores different subgenres of electronic music, demonstrating his versatility as a producer and illustrating the excitement he’s found beyond the dreary artificial office lights of his old job.

“CTRL ESCAPE” kicks off with “STATUS:AWAY,” an introduction that draws heavily on the themes of the album. Besides some narration — such as when Summit says that he was “questioning [his] own existence / losing grip of reality” — the song is purely instrumental. 

Starting with the light computer clicking of a busy office and a melancholic piano melody that eventually turns into a chill house beat, the track symbolizes how house music enabled Summit to reinvent himself and his career.

The somber undertones of “STATUS:AWAY” continue throughout the next three songs, although each takes a different direction. “SHADES OF BLUE,” featuring Devault and Julia Church, plays it safe with more classic house beats, similar to Summit’s hits “Shiver” and “Go Back,” the latter of which also features Church. However, the song differentiates itself by employing a darker, wistful tone that is present throughout the album.

This melancholic yearn is most pronounced in “WITH ME,” featuring Julia Wolf, the “Twilight” (2008)-inspired pop artist known for her single “In My Room.” Unlike many electronic songs where lyrics are not the main focus, Wolf’s hypnotic, longing voice reaches out, almost begging for listeners’ attention. The Evanescence-esque vocals combined with electronic synths result in a genre-melding, emo-house track, perfect for crying at a rave.

Although “MESS W/ ME,” featuring Nija, uses similarly enchanting vocals, the song takes a funkier route, more focused on the groove, boosted by the usage of staccato percussion in the background. Although the vocals aren’t as captivating as Wolf’s in “WITH ME,” “MESS W/ ME” demonstrates Summit’s masterful production as he layers synths and percussion to convey a different vibe in each song.

Summit also experimented with Latin house on “CHICA 305,” featuring Feid, a lively house track featuring animated trumpets and guitar finger-picking. The song is sung in Spanish and is a clear nod of appreciation to the Latin house music heard in the clubbing scene in Miami, where Summit lives. 

The lyrics and instrumentals of “CHICA 305” both seem to lie in stark contrast to the darker aesthetics of “CTRL ESCAPE,” but the song works effectively as a representation of the joy Summit found in the house-music community, which aligns well with the framing in the album of EDM as an escape.

On the other end of the electronic spectrum, Summit increases the beats per minute and goes heavier on the bass in another Latin-house-inspired track, “SATA,” featuring Rohaan, and in “LIGHTS GO OUT.” 

Leaning toward a more techno-house feel, one foot through the door to heavier warehouse EDM, the two tracks evoke the high-intensity rhythms and drops of Subtronics, with whom Summit has frequently collaborated. Despite the occasional rhythmic repetitiveness of “SATA” =, both songs highlight Summit’s experimentalism at its height and indicate where his style might be leaning toward in future releases. 

“LIGHTS GO OUT” is a climactic hype beast. The track drives the thematic aspect of the album, with the repetitive but effective line “Where do we go when the lights go out? / When the fucking lights go out,” while simultaneously producing a dynamic beat. It is the motivational track for those who are tired of their soulless accounting job, whom Summit sets out to inspire. 

But not all of the songs on the album step outside of Summit’s comfort zone. “DON’T BELIEVE IT,” featuring Absolutely, and “ALL THE TIME,” featuring The Chainsmokers and Ilsey, both cater to the energetic house music that Summit has produced for the majority of his DJ career. They are pulsing, danceable songs that are reliable, but not innovative or memorable enough to surpass hits like “Shiver” or “Where You Are.” 

“ALL THE TIME” in particular was a bit of a disappointment, as The Chainsmokers’ feature was underutilized, and their presence didn’t leave any distinctive marks of their pop-heavy style of EDM on the song.

While the tracks following “LIGHTS GO OUT” seem to stray away from the theme of “CTRL ESCAPE,” with “OOO,” Summit manages to reclaim it. “OOO” loops back to the initial despair of “STATUS:AWAY” in the form of a soft, minute-long piano interlude, but this time, it points toward the end of this journey rather than the beginning.

“OOO” is followed by “SHADOWS,” featuring LAVINIA, a song that functions as the partner and answer to “LIGHTS GO OUT.” Although, “SHADOWS” isn’t really anything unique rhythmically. Its lyrics are a direct response to the question posed in “LIGHTS GO OUT,” “the night” alluding to nightlife and electronic music being the solution to one’s despair. 

“CYANIDE,” featuring Absolutely, is the final song on the album, and it nails the feeling of finality with a slow crescendo of the instrumentals, leaving the listener feeling like it could be playing over the end credits of a movie. 

With “CTRL ESCAPE,” Summit tells a story of his growth into and within electronic music. Where he now stands, as a seasoned producer with clear capabilities, he explores subgenres with confidence. Summit’s experimentalism is an overall success, demonstrating his growth in artistry.