Enemy Brain Entertainment Suite - Fox Stevenson
Genre: Dancefloor drum n bass
In short: "carefree dnb tunes with insane leads"
Genre: Dancefloor drum n bass
In short: "carefree dnb tunes with insane leads"
Rating: 91
Cohesiveness: 79
Track quality: 89
Tags:
Beginner-friendly? hell yeah
Nothing says 'deeply personal album' more than Fox Stevenson's golden vocals over his trademark drum n bass.
At a runtime of 9 songs, just under 30 minutes, it's difficult to consider this as just an EP, although I suppose it is a little too short for an LP. Nevertheless, Fox Stevenson's "Enemy Brain Entertainment Suite" packs a bittersweet emotional punch—bitter for its realness and evocative lyricism, sweet for its energy and its carefree production style. It's a style that many artists try to achieve, but none quite achieve the soulfulness that Fox Stevenson does here. In effect, "Enemy Brain Entertainment Suite" is the culmination of that style, in an ultimate maturation of Fox's music, and the final product is deeply resonant. Singing of friendship and introspection, of social woes and mental health, it's incredible that such powerful topics can be expressed so well in a fast-paced and largely commercial genre like dancefloor DnB, but, in hindsight, what better way to express emotional catharsis? What better way to produce a record that can make you laugh, cry, and dance, all at the same time?
It's this cathartic nature that I think Fox Stevenson brings out so well here. His vocals are brilliant and keep toe to toe with his witty lyricism, and the prominent leads—that dancefloor DnB is so well known for—are still able to make their mark on each track, along with the transitions, though they do feel a little half-baked at times. Ultimately, the EP doesn't have any convoluted narratives or immersive atmospheres, but, suffice to say, "Enemy Brain Entertainment Suite" has character.
| Name | Comments | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| Enemy Brain | Strong lead—you'll hear a lot about leads—with witty songwriting, clean DnB, and loads of happy-go-lucky energy | Intense |
| For The Taking | Slower, more earnest, more uplifting track with great flow and neat layering | Laid-back |
| Get Through | Faster, heavier cut with a standout lead, personal lyrics and a banging background bassline | Standout |
| Deja Vu | Another slower track that focuses a little more on atmosphere and direct lyrics, though it is a bit repetitive | Emotive |
| Victory Over Truth | Raw lyricism and consistently fast-pacing which gives the track a lot of impact in every field | Emotive |
| Can't Even Tell | Casually blunt and bluntly casual, with refreshing happy-go-lucky leanings and a weirdly funky bassline | Catchy |
| Human In The Evening | Longer 5-minute cut which excels at everything from leads to vocals to drops, with a rather prominent drum break throughout | Standout |
| Still Here | Fun track with great buildups, goofy vocal hooks and one of the most prominent, crazy leads of the EP | Fun |
| Bring A Coat | Polished garage-esque track that is melancholic and full of atmosphere—a great way to close off what was such a high-octane record | Laid-back |