Having built a reputation as one of the hottest drum & bass artists to emerge in recent memory, the St. Petersberg-born Enei has gone from strength to strength since being snatched up by label boss Kasra as Critical Music’s first-ever exclusive signing of 2011.
Quickly building off the success of his 2012 debut LP Machines, Enei has gone on to a steady yet continually evolving series of releases that reaches its pinnacle with the forthcoming Rituals LP. Featuring some of his best work to date, the album pushes past the usual tech-noir boundaries and delivers a surprisingly deep and emotive narrative that finds itself hovering between the ethereal and often experimental edges of the genre and the straight-from-the-streets-and-warehouses vibes of the dancefloor.
Mefjus, Foreign Concept, EastColors, and Kasra himself all make appearances on the album alongside the essential vocals of Charli Brix, MC DRS, Frank Carter III, Peta Oneir and Riya. But at its core it’s obvious that Enei is in the driver’s seat, pushing his way through dark and dirty bits like “Iron Curtain” just as easily as he is able to transition into warm and soulful rollers like “Homeworld.” Minimalist tech-cuts like “Lost World,” liquid dreams like “Moment of You” and epic steppers like “Forgotten Planet” reveal the full extent of what Enei is capable of kicking.
With sixteen tunes on the full release (nineteen if you count the three “digital bonus” tracks that you get if you buy the full LP on Critical or Beatport) there are way too many tracks and moments to go through here but if you’re eager to get straight to the dancefloor bits, set a course for “Dead Space” where Mefjus steps in to ignite one of the heaviest tracks on the LP. Similarly, “Lessons” from Kasra, Enei and MC DRS is sure to be in heavy rotation as its chunky, straightforward tech-driven beats and basslines cap off an project that is already being hailed as a future classic.
This one drops on December 4 so head over to the Critical shop and queue up for your pre-order now. In the meantime, check the mini-mix of the album from Enei below.