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Solex Vs. the Hitmeister

 
Album Review: Solex vs. The Hitmeister

  • Artist: Solex
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: March 10, 1998
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Electronica

Review

Solex, aka Dutch record shop owner Elisabeth Esselink, creates a pure, offbeat musical world on the 1998 debut, Solex vs. the Hitmeister. All of the songs contain the band's name; Esselink delivers her English-sung vocals with dreamlike, rhythmic phrasing, and the album's cavernous production makes it sound as though it were recorded deep inside her head -- it all adds up to an abstract, alien collection of songs that owes very little to electronica or indie rock as the outside world knows it. Instead, each song on Hitmeister flows to its own musical logic, built on samples of discounted, long-forgotten records and Esselink's expressive, sweetly foreign voice, supported here and there by touches of guitar and keyboards. "When Solex Just Stood There" suggests industrial dance with its relentless beat, one-note vocals, and screeching sound effects, while "Solex All Licketysplit" bounds around the room on a rubbery bassline and sparkly keyboards. "Some Solex" marries a somewhat ominous bass drum to a warm guitar line, while spaceship sound effects hover in the background. "One Louder Solex" and "Solex in a Slipshod Style" have a fluid, stream-of-consciousness style that recalls daydreams, adding to Hitmeister's overall surreal quality. A completely unique combination of beats, samples, and voice, Solex is insular and inventive, revealing an artist with a very personal kind of creativity. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
One Louder Solex Solex Solex (3:27)
Solex Feels Lucky Solex Solex (3:46)
Solex in a Slipshod Style Solex Solex (3:44)
Waking Up with Solex Solex Solex (3:32)
Solex's Snag Solex Solex (4:09)
Rolex by Solex Solex Solex (2:46)
There's a Solex on the Run Solex Solex (3:30)
Solex All Licketysplit Solex Solex (2:24)
Solex for a While Solex Solex (3:53)
Some Solex Solex Solex (3:35)
When Solex Just Stood There Solex Solex (3:24)
Peppy Solex Solex Solex (3:44)

Credits

Geert de Groot (Bass), Geert de Groot (Guitar), Geert de Groot (Piano), Geert de Groot (Cello), Geert de Groot (Melodica), Solex (Vocals), Solex (Producer), Solex (Main Performer), Solex (Mixing), Solex (Photography), Solex (Cover Design), Frans Hagenaars (Producer), Frans Hagenaars (Engineer), Frans Hagenaars (Mixing), Filip Heurckmans (Assistant Engineer), Elisabeth Esselink (?)
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Wikipedia: Solex Vs. the Hitmeister
Top
Solex Vs. the Hitmeister
Studio album by Solex
Released March 10, 1998
Recorded 1998 at home and at S.S.E., Weesp, the Netherlands
Genre Pop rock, College rock
Length 41:54
Label Matador Records
Producer Frans Hagenaars, Solex
Professional reviews
Solex chronology
Solex Vs. the Hitmeister
(1998)
Pick Up
(1999)

Solex Vs. the Hitmeister is the first full-length album from Amsterdam-based artist Solex. It was released on March 10, 1998 on the Matador Records label. Every song title on the album has "Solex" in it, even if the lyrics of a given song do not reflect this.

Contents

Track listing

All songs by Solex.

  1. "One Louder Solex" – 3:27
  2. "Solex Feels Lucky" – 3:46
  3. "Solex in a Slipshod Style" – 3:44
  4. "Waking Up With Solex" – 3:32
  5. "Solex's Snag" – 4:09
  6. "Rolex By Solex" – 2:46
  7. "There's a Solex On the Run" – 3:30
  8. "Solex All Licketysplit" – 2:24
  9. "Solex For a While" – 3:53
  10. "Some Solex" – 3:35
  11. "When Solex Just Stood There" – 3:24
  12. "Peppy Solex" – 3:44

Personnel

Performance

Gerard Atema:, clarinet
Elisabeth Esselink: Solex
Geert de Groot: guitar, piano, cello, bass, and melodica on quite a few songs
Jeroen Kramer: saxophone, clarinet
Robert Lagendijk: drums on quite a few songs, photograph and screaming on "Rolex By Solex"

Production

Frans Hagenaars: production, engineer, mixing
Flip Heurckmans: assistant engineer at Galaxy
Colette Sloots: graphic editor
Solex: production, mixing, music and words, sleeve design


 
 

 

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Solex Vs. the Hitmeister" Read more