Former Duran Duran members Nick Rhodes and Stephen Duffy just happened to both attend a Vivienne Westwood fashion show in 1999, and their discussions and reminiscences rekindled the new wave musical passion that flowed within both men. Yes, it's true, Stephen Duffy was once the vocalist for Duran Duran before leaving the group in 1979 to ultimately pursue a more folk-oriented style with the much-revered band the Lilac Time. Looking back on his departure from Duran Duran many years later, Duffy was known to lightheartedly profess wanting to be the next Bob Dylan, rather than the next futuristic '80s star. Rhodes, of course, stuck with Duran Duran and rode the band to pop glories around the globe. The electro styling of Duran Duran isn't that far removed from the fun, somewhat gothic approach of the Devils. The duo's debut, Dark Circles, is a swirling, heady mix of carnival keyboards, vintage sampler effects, and edgy guitar sounds. While the Devils might not strive for the super-produced radio-friendly sheen of Duran Duran, Rhodes and Duffy both share a love for accessible, autobiographical pop music with touches of glam and massive dollops of style. Both clearly share an interest in Kraftwerk's drone and early David Bowie theatricality. Dark Circles never betrays its bedroom-studio origins, coming off as something shiny and new, yet fervently retro all at once. More than simply a look to the past for Rhodes and Duffy, the Devils seem at home in any millennium. ~ Tim DiGravina