If this album -- the sixth overall by perpetually anxious Baltimore native Rjyan Kidwell -- is actual fucking, what were the prior five? Mere head fucking? There's a partial defense for that, as with each album the tightly wound, throbbing Cex has unwaveringly changed his pitch up. From gangly IDMmissary to lap-hop MC to elliptical indieisms to a nigh-goth grind, Kidwell's output has charted a schizophrenetic trajectory. Kidwell offers his most definitive tangent of tension and release with contributions from Roby Newton (Milemarker), Cale Parks (Aloha), Bobby Burg (Love of Everything) and many others. Eight sweltry, squiggly tracks nicking from latter Radiohead, mid-period NIN, and Eno-era Bowie are produced with Chicago post-rock's gated springiness and aimed to pierce egos not just ears. This role-play reveals Kidwell at his most Cex-ual. 3 stars.
Cex plays Wed., June 7, at Drunken Unicorn with Love of Everything and Psychic Hearts.
