When Trouble Juice last heard from nite fruit, we were premiering their debut EP Disintegrate in mid 2020. Now nearly two years on, the evolution in nite fruit’s sound is clear; while their debut release was a strong collection of otherworldly synth-pop, 4:44 seems to capture the duo leaning into the haphazardness of the past few years as they explore the boundaries of their elusive brand of electronic-pop while sounding more assured than ever.

Opening with ‘Obsessive’, we’re immersed in a swirl of stuttering beats, pulsating synths and plenty of addictive hyperpop hooks, the track’s unrelenting backbeat pushing us to the dancefloor while simultaneously keeping us on edge with its metallic percussion and unsettling mystique. The duo note that “DIY, community and collaboration” sits at the core of the project, and it’s this ethos that makes nite fruit’s music so compelling, anchoring these songs as they wrestle to push out of this world.

Fittingly, the next three tracks all feature special guests, both from the local scene and around the world. Next up, ‘Lungs’ is a down-tempo track that lures us in with brooding vocals delivered by nite fruit and guest vocalist Zephyress, their restrained performances adding a moodiness to the simmering beats. ‘Concrete’ changes the pace with perhaps the EP’s most vibrant moment, a celebration of friendship set to the soundtrack of warped synths and an industrial backbeat. Finally, 4:44 rounds out with ‘4am’, another dancefloor filler with its evocative groove and constantly rising synth flickers, featuring a verse from Californian rapper Fairy Boy. It’s a playful conclusion that reminds us that even at their most agitated or vulnerable, it’s nite fruit’s ability to blend the sweet with the sour that makes it so easy to put these songs on repeat.