by Myles Tiessen (@myles_tiessen)
The moody and atmospheric Melbourne-based EXEK have been working hard carving out their own unique blend of krautrock inspire psychedelic music. In their career thus far, EXEK has percolated through the densely packed landscape of a city known for its exceptional music scene.
On their latest record, Advertise Here, EXEK continues to pull at the threads of their previous releases, keeping true to their post-punk disposition and furthering their commitment to tearing apart the tapestry of sonic pigeon-holing or categorization. About a thousand different influences can be heard on Advertise Here, and EXEK manages to weave them perfectly into what can only be described as ‘tight-knit experimentation.’
On “Parricide Is Painless” (which, by the way, is the most hardcore name for a song so groovy), the band shifts tape squeals and dances between melodic and chaotic keys before disintegrating into a swarm of electronic buzzards and vocal loops. Near the end of the track, the band purposefully takes a rhythmic dive into dub and, after a brief foray, finds their way back into the krautrock drum beat.
Advertise Here exists as an album with two definitive sides. Side A sees EXEK testing the waters with approachable, pop-inspired music (it’s no wonder the leading singles for the album are tracks two and three). But, even the catchiest songs on side A features lyrics filled with bitterness. “Unseasonable Warmth” is a nihilistic, climate-conscious track that takes the listener into a depressive narration of greed and injustice. Lead singer Albert Wolski parlays lyrics of climate change in rhythmic monotone, sounding like a computerized John Cooper Clarke. Meanwhile, a funky bassline lulls us into a trace, making it feel like you are lost wandering the purgatory of a dying planet, hallucinating off the noxious gasses released from a shifting ecosystem. ‘Whites and blacks of facts are painted obscured from several angles/ And the results have tampered with/ Of multiple samples,” sings Wolski. “Now let’s proceed, let off a little steam/ ephemeral/ watch the pH levels fall.”
The B-side of Advertise Here brings more experimentation and jams to the mix. Most songs are over the six minute mark and create a psychedelic whirlpool that is as rock-driven as it is electronic. The mathy “ID’ed” is an excellent penultimate next to the outro “Hiding A Smile” that incorporates strings working congruently with the pulsating beat. It’s certainly a grand finale that works as an antagonist to any form of traditional climax or conclusion. “ID’ed” fizzles out into haunting echos and never completely ceases — the song, much like the album, lives on forever.
EXEK’s enthralling music is a clear creative vision. What we witness on Advertise Here are captivating and sonically dense songs that challenge and reward the listener on every listen.