Killjoy
Antifragile, 2019
8/10
A UK DJ and producer, Fox Stevenson bridges electronic production and live instrumentation on this rich, textured and very meticulous first album.
“Out Of My Head” starts the listen with an atmospheric display of modern pop prowess, and the title track follows with calm, reflective instrumentation that shows much diversity early in the affair.
Deeper in the listen, “Dreamland” is a busy and quick delivery of club friendly ideas, while “California” offers a subdued execution of pop-rock influences that builds into a fuller, sunnier display. “Hold Steady”, one of the album’s best, then finds a soulful place to reside with plenty of electronic noises.
Near the end, “Perfect Lie” enters a more indie-rock oriented realm of his song craft, and “Headlights” exits the listen soft and dreamy, but quickly produces giant synth rock that could fill stadiums.
Though Stevenson is only in his mid 20s, he delivers like a seasoned vet here, as he mashes pop, dance, punk and rock amid dense beats on a listen that may be unclassifiable, but is impossible not to enjoy.
Travels well with: Maduk- Never Give Up; Flite- The Cure