Evil Nine At Juno Download

Review: It's been a while since the Evil fellas last tapped us up with some party pieces. But, as always, it's been well worth the wait. What's interesting here is that they've referenced their deeper, more reflective, brooding side on this EP, and not the more unpredictable, electro-inspired cuts we last heard on their own roving romantic imprint. "Broken Dreams" is a pensive, bone tickling groove with heaps of space amongst the elements. Deep old school bass and a well executed sample amount to a real mood setter that will have your dancefloor activiting 'hypnotised' mode in a jiffy. Similar thoughts can be applied to "Weird Energy Dude". A cut that picks up steam with every element, there's more than a touch of future garage as it builds and builds in E9's inimitable enchanting fashion.

Review: Relatively quiet since their 2008 album They Live!, Brighton duo Evil Nine are back with this supercharged single featuring South African vocalist Spoek Mathambo. Stepping away from their breakbeat roots (though still on Adam Freeland's Marine Parade label), "No Manners" is a huge scoop of full-fat electro very much in the Justice/Ed Banger mould. String hits and tightly clipped drums dominate on the single, combined with some distorted chords and some huge rushing crescendos. It's infectious stuff, similar in vibe to Plastic Little's rhymes over Herve's Cheap Thrills imprint.

Remixes come from Dublin duo Arveene and Misk, who've recently been getting attention for their mixes of Mr. Oizo and Felix Da Housecat's mighty Kickdrum amongst others. Using the vocal sparingly, they transform the original's jerky beat into a flat out stomper, using some nicely off the wall bass sounds to give it a harder, pumping vibe. Italian Dj Dannoso also weighs in with his first ever remix, chopping the vocals up cleverly and laying down a scintillating acid beat underneath the original's swooping string hits. There's even a breakdown with some distinctively gothic organ parts which make Dannoso's mix thoroughly unique. A nice change of direction for Evil Nine, backed up by some solid electro reworkings.