While it can be said that Enei is truly all over the place with his rapid-fire releases (he’s had eight this year alone on four different labels), there’s something about the almost ineffable marriage of the Russian producer and Critical. The two are a hit-making machine and it’s not just about dancefloor bangers or heavy beats. Enei’s new EP on Critical, Divided Mode, proves this magical union once again.
Out this Friday, Critical has already teased the single “Widowed” off the EP, a snare-heavy darkstep low-rider with lots of old school builds which then drop into some aggravated-sounding foghorn synths. Also on the EP is a steppy, neuro-tinged “Pay the Cost” featuring verses by Jakes, the full darkstep “Northern Noise” and “Limits,” an interesting vocal track featuring Anastasia which plays nicely with darkstep throwback vibes.
First on the new EP, however, is the EP’s title track and Bassrush was lucky enough to cop the exclusive premiere. As is the case with all Enei’s best tracks, the enviably perfect snares are the base in “Divided Mode,” so much so that even the rolling drum loop follows rather than leads them. Said drum loop is light and echoey, presumably to make it sound like a snare a bit itself. The bassline is contained within the drum, again to feature the snare but also to provide ample space in the track for all the ambient madness that makes up the rest of the sound profile.
Flirting with experimental sound, it’s hard to even call the synths synths as they sine wave in an out over the beat. There is one synth pattern which sounds a bit like Benny L got stuck inside his foghorn and is trying to claw his way out but the rest is really and truly ambient sinewave design, sometimes supporting and other times driving the more established synth. As often is the case with Enei tracks, “Divided Mode” is more than meets the ear.
There’s really not much else to say: Enei plus Critical equals slam dunk. The darkstep chin scratchers, the ambient minimalists and the borderline jump up steppers all have something to love about Divided Mode, both EP and track.
Divided Mode is out this Friday, August 19 on Critical Music and can be pre-ordered or pre-saved for streaming on multiple platforms by visiting the Critical website.