Take the experimentalism of Grandaddy, fuse it with cosmic rock reverence, and you’ve got the eccentric sublimity of the standout single, Benjy, from Rex on Demand’s latest release, The Angel Sessions. The celestially synthesised and scuzzy release veers straight towards uncharted territory with its nuanced social dissection that, rather than launching an all-out attack, delivers a narrative which leaves the vitriol between the lines, offering vindication for anyone who can already see where we are and how we got here. While drinking in delicious synth rock grooves, listeners can find their rhythm in the chaos of modernity.
Based in London, Rex on Demand has been steeped in music since his school handed him a cello at six, which he played through to grade eight before expanding his sonic vocabulary at university. You can feel the years of musicianship in the intimacy that belies the polished production here, and in the satirical edge that makes Benjy bite just enough without losing its sweetness.
The nods to new-wave and the belt-out sensibilities of Springsteen are there, but Rex on Demand keeps his lens firmly fixed on the present, building worlds where the retro glimmers illuminate the dystopian present.
Benjy is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
