Hex is a 2024 studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Jon McKiel. It has received positive reviews from critics.
| Hex | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 3, 2024 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 33:07 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | You've Changed | |||
| Producer |
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| Jon McKiel chronology | ||||
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Reception
editAlex Hudson of Exclaim! made this his staff pick album, writing that it "evokes the feeling of a bygone era without being constrained by its tropes", continuing that "even as McKiel crafts an approximation of brill building pop and Beatnik folk, his psychedelic guitar noodling and dense patchwork of percussive layers mean that Hex exists enigmatically out of time".[2] At Loud and Quiet, Janne Oinonen rated Hex an 8 out of 10, stating that "the quality control never wavers" on an album that "offers a hugely compelling testimonial to the enduring creative potential of an imaginatively distorted pop song".[3] Editors at Pitchfork scored this release 7.6 out of 10 and critic Stephen M. Deusner praised the mix of genres and influences on this album stating that it "seems both familiar and foreign", ending his review stating that "McKiel finds humanity in a bit of confusion, and on this oddly affecting album he comes across as a medium, closely attuned to the unknown and unknowable as he deciphers missives from another plane".[4] In Spill Magazine, Adam Collings rated this album an 8 out of 10, calling it "a strong release with meticulous care being evident in its delivery".[5]
In a May 31 roundup of the best albums of the year, editors at Exclaim! ranked this 16 with Penelope Stevens stating that music is "a brilliant approximation of our dystopian reality [that] is at once modern and timeless".[6] A June 3 review of the best albums of the year in Spin included Hex and Stephen Deusner stated that "it's an album heavy with vibe, simultaneously hypnotic and askew, drawing you in to keep you beautifully off balance".[7]
The album was a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize.[8]
Track listing
editAll songs written by Jon McKiel, except where noted.
- "Hex" – 3:09
- "String" – 4:36
- "Still Life" – 3:43
- "The Fix" – 3:20
- "Under Burden" – 2:16
- "Memory Screen pt. 1" – 1:45
- "Everlee" – 2:53
- "Lady's Mantle" – 2:37
- "Concrete Sea" (Terry Jacks) – 2:35
- "Memory Screen pt. 2" – 6:07
Personnel
edit- Jon McKiel – instrumentation, vocals, recording, production
- Jay Crocker – instrumentation, recording, production
- Paul Henderson – artwork, design
- Harris Newman – audio mastering
- Nicola Miller – saxophone on "Hex"
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Binks, Jar-Jar (April 29, 2024). "Weekly Releases: 05.03.2024". Staff Blog. Sputnikmusic. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ Hudson, Alex (May 6, 2024). "Jon McKiel Casts a Hypnotic 'Hex'". Exclaim!. ISSN 1207-6600. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ Oinonen, Janne (April 29, 2024). "Jon McKiel – Hex". Reviews. Loud and Quiet. ISSN 2049-9892. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ Deusner, Stephen M. (May 3, 2024). "John McKiel: Hex Album Review". Albums. Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ Collings, Adam (May 3, 2024). "John McKiel – Hex". Album Reviews. Spill Magazine. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ Stevens, Penelope (May 31, 2024). "Exclaim!'s 25 Best Albums of 2024 So Far". Exclaim!. ISSN 1207-6600. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Deusner, Stephen (June 3, 2024). "The Best Albums Of 2024 (So Far)". Best Of So Far. Spin. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Polaris Music Prize long list: the Beaches, Tobi, Elisapie, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and more". Music. CBC Music. June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
External links
edit- Hex at Discogs (list of releases)
- Hex at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
