J*DaVeY is a force of nature, as sinful as they are sacred, as simple as they are esoteric . They just are . And it would take nothing less than a force of nature to return me from my stalemate with the internet, and the arrival of their latest Mistape: “The Evil Christian Cop” did to my psyche what is comparable to an electromagnetic pulse . Now, despite my fanatical obsession with this duo and their idiosyncratic sound, I adopted a new approach when listening to this new freEP . I wouldn’t be the pushover that sampled their last Mistape, no sir . I waited a long time for this Ep, losing sleep over all the release dates falling through, but of course never losing my faith as a fan . But I’m more than a fan of J*DaVeY, I love J*DaVeY, unconditionally, and love means tending to the roses and the weeds .

I told myself I’d be a harsher judge, remembering to listen in silence, rather than fill my head with thoughts of past and future nonsense which usually narrows yer scope to actually hear whats being played in front of yer face . And just when I sat down to scrutinize the living hell out of this EP with my newfound approach, they took all my expectations, as well as my doubts, and tossed them right outta the window . Force of nature, remember?

Despite being titled the Evil Christian Cop, the EP doesn’t focus on character-assassination or pointing out flaws in today’s society - but focuses on empowerment . According to their bandcamp: “Evil Christian Cop was inspired by the dark undercurrents that exist in the phrase ‘To protect and serve.’ As producer Brook D’Leau explains, ‘Why should we rely on an evil stranger to protect and serve when you have the power to protect and serve yourself?’” Miss Jack DaVeY has always managed to blow my mind with how deliberate she is, as a woman and in her songwriting . Rather than making an EP about why we should protect and serve ourselves, she jumps right into the act of empowerment, shattering the complacency of other artists by jumping right into the answer, rather than fixating and brooding over the question .

Following their beautiful cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit, they jump into my favorite song, Quicksand, easily the club-romper of the EP, having admittedly been “dropping it like its hot” to its siren sounds since I first heard it . Staying on the theme of empowerment, Quicksand is a deliberate invitation into Miss Jack DaVeY’s sex-dripping drug-induced sensory-distorting world, but the price of admission is honesty . “Who do you love?” Who do you love, indeed . This song brings you to the part of every relationship (or one-night-quickie, both apply) that people wish to avoid: the honesty that comes with intimacy . Is this a fling or are we gonna be Sid and Nancy? (Or Sid and Sid, or Nancy and Nancy, whatever inflates yer life vest .) And of course, Def Sound lays down an amazing verse in all his precocious wordbending glory .

Raincheck provides another fertile landscape to get lost in, with its scattered and passionate freeverse poetry, aided by Brook’s pulse-pounding space drums and rise-and-fall synths, adding to the sense of indecision and surrender . This song feels like the antithesis to the previous song, showing the initiative to break ties without being coy or feigning disinterest . Jack’s improvement as a vocalist is paramount here, as experimental and daring as it is soothing and lush . And then we move into Trans, a dizzying mobile journey painted by Brook’s masterful soundscapes . Listen to it and try not to feel like yer opening several doors, or making a journey through streaking landscapes . There was a point where I felt I was on an elevator, and I was sober .

You have to credit Brook’s technique of using drums to make marvelous texture, which comes out even more forceful in Lazy Daze, an old favorite but delectable nonetheless . I can’t help but smile and get my bones moving when I hear this song . Following the theme of empowerment, what is truly stopping us from enjoying ourselves on a daily basis? Money? Locations? Expectations? J*DaVeY is reminding you that the party is where you are, and you don’t have to move a muscle to get the frivolity and sense of celebration we travel around searching for . Why not just get yer friends together, have a brew, and jam right there where you are? Nothing is stopping you . This touched me especially and felt like the perfect closer for the album . Instead of waiting for the party, take control, be the party .

J*DaVeY is giving you the encouragement to take the reigns of whatever labors of love yer partaking in, because sleepwalking through life is what makes us turn over our power to Evil Christian Cops, otherwise known as middlemen . These can be interpreted as government institutions, corporations, false prophets, or any authority we use to relinquish control . Defining our relations for ourselves is a step toward protecting and serving ourselves, having the courage to investigate and see what’s there . Its not so bad once you realize that you are more powerful than you think, and can bring the party and good vibes anywhere you go if you can only search within yerself . “Take control,” J*DaVeY is saying, “its empowering, fun, and sexy as fuck .”