{"title":"Exek","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"exek-the-map-and-the-territory","title":"EXEK - The Map and the Territory","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"aec-body\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"container\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"aec-main\" class=\"col-md-10\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"aec-product-container\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"aec-product-description\" class=\"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"aec-desc-review collapse\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAustralian post-punk sextet EXEK—singer Albert Wolski, guitarist Jai Morris-Smith, synthesist Andrew Brocchi, trumpeter and backing-vocalist Valya YL Hooi, bassist Ben Hepworth, and Chris Stephenson on the drums—deliver their sixth full-length LP, The Map and the Territory. Self-recorded throughout 2021 to 2022, frontman Albert Wolski describes The Map and the Territory as \"perhaps less ambitious than some previous EXEK releases. In a positive way, obviously.\" Comprised of eight tracks, there is a greater focus on song craftsmanship, where elongated jams play second fiddle to choruses and hooks. These new tracks will translate effectively into a live environment, and are destined to quickly become set favorites. And yes, of course, the iconic EXEK album soundmarks remain ever present—dubbed out drums, guitars that sound like robots from Forbidden Planet, and deep synths that recall The Idiot. EXEK once again stay true to their trademark recording process—one of endless overdubs, allowing for maximal control whilst editing. Lots and lots of edits. Drummer Chris Stephenson would perform a collection of beats, that would then be sampled, and therefore plant the seed for ideas for songs. \"Seamstress Requires Regular Breaks\" might be the best example of this, where fluid jazz-funk drumrolls morph into a rigid post-punk march, and then back again, and then back again. But the funk doesn’t stop there. \"Welcome to my Alibi\" and \"Glow of Good Will\" pick up where 90’s hip-hop and R\u0026amp;B left off - smooth and sexy and a little bit dangerous. On the flip side of the dynamic spectrum, \"The Lifeboats\" and \"It’s Just a Flesh Wound, Darling\" sit facing towards the group’s more loud motorik arsenal. On EXEK’s latest offering, both the map and the territory are equally balanced. Previous releases on Castle Face, W.25th, and Digital Regress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormat \/ \u003cb\u003eLP\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReleased \/ \u003cstrong\u003e10\/06\/2023\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCatalogue \/ \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFR-004\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarcode \/ \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFR004\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eArtist \/ \u003cstrong\u003eEXEK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLabel \/ \u003cstrong\u003eForeign Records\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre \/ \u003cb\u003ePop \/ Rock\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Revolver USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40834353168445,"sku":"POP-E-FR004","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1487\/4550\/files\/146398_main.jpg?v=1698865656"},{"product_id":"exek-prove-the-mountains-move","title":"Exek - Prove the Mountains Move","description":"\u003cp\u003eFor just over a decade, EXEK has very quietly become one of the most hypnotic bands on the planet, mutating and growing from record to record, gradually opening themselves up without ever losing that strange, inscrutable, altogether essential quality that’s made them so great—so EXEK-y.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Melbourne post-punk outfit—vocalist and chief architect Albert Wolski, guitarist Jai Morris-Smith, drummer Chris Stephenson, synth specialist Andrew Brocchi, trumpet-brandishing vocalist Valya YL Hooi, and bassist Ben Hepworth—release Prove The Mountains Move, their seventh album and first for DFA. It is, as Wolski says, “a bit more ‘epic’” than anything he’s recorded to date, a lush and unabashedly melodic set of surrealist pop that luxuriates in contradiction. “This record is experimental in its craft,” Wolski says, “but it may not necessarily sound experimental.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWolski arrived at his most direct work since he launched the project, newly inspired by the clarity and concision of mainstream pop, the strong and undeniable pull of a simple vocal melody. After Melbourne’s famously stringent COVID lockdowns ended, he found himself wanting to stay out. “Working on new music took a distant backseat to raging with friends,” he says. “And those parties were filled with big bangers as the soundtrack—stuff I didn’t really listen to on my own, stuff I hadn’t really encountered since my adolescence. But in the early hours of Sunday morning, ‘Alive’ by Pearl Jam sounds like you’re talking to God. And so does “All I Wanna Do”by Sheryl Crow, and so does “Feel” by Robbie Williams. Krautrock and dub were still in my DNA, but the music that I started to make was perhaps a little more lighthearted, and perhaps a bit more emotional.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormat \/ \u003cb\u003eLP\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReleased \/ \u003cstrong\u003e02\/27\/2026\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCatalogue \/ \u003cstrong\u003eDFA-2731LP\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBarcode \/ \u003cstrong\u003e829732000825\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtist \/ \u003cstrong\u003eExek\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLabel \/\u003cstrong\u003e Dfa Records\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGenre \/ \u003cstrong\u003ePop \/ Rock\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secretly Canadian","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43007435145277,"sku":"POP-E-829732000825","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1487\/4550\/files\/4484904-3506342.jpg?v=1771807530"},{"product_id":"exek-advertise-here","title":"Exek - Advertise Here","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: justify;\"\u003e\"Gliding in on the twin engine discordant tones we've come to love from Exek comes their new transmission Advertise Here. Beats bumping up thru a flapping spring reverb, gilded production choices, stripped bass bubbling in the cauldron. With each pass of the witch's ladle, words float in the steam over the cacophonous concoction. The coven that croons together slays together, with every layer peeling back on our ear's tongue we will exclaim 'wicked'-perhaps their strongest effort yet. \"The twin engines reappear now, tardy, guitar and synthesis, rounded edges, worn and ever so slightly fuzzed out-perfection. This LP strives for new lyrical highs in my opinion. Pop at an arm's length, thru a greasy lens: A conversation. A conversation on drugs. A passing comment that sticks an utterance from the death bed. Reminiscent of Brian Eno, White Fence, PiL, Full Circle, ESG, all things Geoff Barrows, Eroc, Lard Free, and music of free weirdos everywhere. This one is the mossy titled deck of a half submerged shipwreck, a green light in a red room, a lump of clay, the end of the night when you think 'perhaps I should have left ages ago,' but it's too late now... you're in too deep... might as well have one more dance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormat \/ \u003cb\u003eLP\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReleased \/ \u003cstrong\u003e02\/11\/2022\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCatalogue \/ \u003cb\u003eCLFC-141\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBarcode \/ \u003cstrong\u003e733102721916\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtist \/ \u003cstrong\u003eExek\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLabel \/ \u003cstrong\u003eCastleface\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGenre \/ \u003cstrong\u003ePop \/ Rock\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Super D","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43528957722685,"sku":"POP-E-733102721916","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1487\/4550\/files\/4038950-2774742.jpg?v=1788106926"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.plaidroomrecords.com\/collections\/artist-exek.oembed","provider":"Plaid Room Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}