Sextile - 3

Since their formation in 2015, Sextile have gained a devoted following thanks to the seductive energy of their live performances and non-stop touring. The "3" EP follows their 2017 album "Albeit Living" and their early 2018 single "Current Affair" released on Felte Records.

After numerous line-up changes, the now two-piece band of Brady Keehn and Melissa Scaduto have shifted to a minimalist approach that's just as punchy as ever. They now favor synthesizers over guitars, but they haven't completely ditched the strings. The album "3" was recorded in Los Angeles in their home and studio using a KORG MS-10, sequencer, Fender Stratocaster, LinnDrum and various percussion instruments.

The pair found inspiration in the work of futuristic writer Luigi Russolo "The Art of Noise" and used a sound palette that reflects the chaos of the modern industrial era. Sextile excels at controlling noise, whether the source is percussive strums, guitar strums, synth trills, or Keehn's militant vocals. Throughout the album, "3" is punctuated by sudden bursts of disharmony, pounding rhythms and hypnotic bass sequences. While the aptly titled "Disco" is a club opener, "Spun" brings the signature Sextile sound with noisy, wailing guitars.

'3' ranks the band's sound somewhere between DAF and Gang of Four, but it is that touch of futurism and insights from the current political climate that directs them directly to the present. It's the explosive sound of today - it's punk that can keep the dance floor going.