Representing a part of Utrecht's sprawling Utreg Massive party collective, which currently consists of no less than 14 DJs, producers and promoters, Sinister Souls apparently originally started out six years ago as a drum and bass oriented duo, before starting to concentrate more on dark dubstep in the past year or so. This 12" EP on the fairly new Mindtrick label follows on from last year's download-only `Definition Of Silence' EP on Rottun Recordings and sees the duo offering up two new tracks that lean distinctly towards the more nightmarish, industrial-edged end of the dubstep spectrum. On the A-side, `Borderline' starts off in coldly atmospheric ambient territory that calls to mind Ital Tek, as thick, woody-sounding beats slowly gather momentum against a spectral wash of female vocal harmonics and glittering synth pads, only for the entire track to suddenly wind up and crash down into a thundering breakdown section built completely around harsh synth stabs and buzzing, powerline-esque bass swells. While it's suitably toxic stuff on its own, it soon proves to be the slightly gentler counterpoint to B-side `Crackdown', which snaps straight down into head-snapping broken snares and staccato hi-hats before sending the listener straight down into a churning vortex of distorted hoover sub-bass, ratcheting overdriven snares and vaguely rave-y synth arpeggation that threatens to descend into sludgey distortion at points. While there's a perceptibly danceable groove hidden beneath the billowing poisonous clouds of noise on both tracks here, this is one clearly aimed at those who like their dubstep steelplated and jackbooted along the lines of Mobthrow, Vex'd and Niveau Zero.
