Evil Nine sounds like the city after the sun goes down, where the air is thick with exhaust and the rhythm of the street is a broken, syncopated pulse. Their music is built on a foundation of heavy, crunching breakbeats that feel physically weighty, often layered with dusty samples and distorted basslines that suggest a world of shadowy alleys and neon-lit clubs. It is electronic music with a human, slightly bruised soul.
What sets them apart is their refusal to stay within the confines of a single dance subgenre. They bring a crate-digger's sensibility to the dancefloor, pulling in the jagged energy of post-punk guitars, the lyrical density of underground hip-hop, and the atmospheric tension of film noir. Their collaborations with rappers like Aesop Rock highlight a unique ability to bridge the gap between the head-nodding complexity of abstract rap and the visceral, body-moving power of a club system.
Start with their debut album, 'You Can Be Special Too.' It is a masterclass in the 'noughties' breaks sound, offering a perfect entry point into their blend of melancholic melody and raw, dirty percussion. From there, dive into their 'FabricLive 28' mix to hear how they translate their studio grit into a seamless, high-energy journey through the darker corners of electronic music.
Evil Nine are an English electronic music duo comprising members Tom Beaufoy and Pat Pardy. Their musical style is primarily classified as breakbeat, although it additionally encompasses other influences.
Shares trip-hop, abstract hip-hop, nu jazz (subgenres); sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style)
Shares rap, deadpan, processed (vocal style); sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style)
Shares brooding, mysterious, energetic (moods); trip-hop, nu jazz (subgenres)
Shares sample based, layered dense, analog warmth (production style); urban night, basement show, late night (atmosphere)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); brooding, mysterious, energetic (moods)
Shares brooding, mysterious, energetic (moods); urban night, basement show, late night (atmosphere)
Shares urban night, basement show, dive bar (atmosphere); trip-hop, nu jazz (subgenres)
Shares sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style); urban night, basement show, late night (atmosphere)
Shares urban night, basement show, late night (atmosphere); rap, deadpan, processed (vocal style)
Shares trip-hop, abstract hip-hop, nu jazz, spoken word (subgenre)
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