The Norwegian duo Ost & Kjex makes their much-awaited comeback to Snick Snack Music.
Songs from the end of the world, a nine-track LP aimed squarely at the dance floor and inspired by the sounds of their youth, are released on the label, which is run by them and their longtime pals Trulz & Robin. With contributions from their frequent collaborators Tracee Meyn and Viviana Vega, aka Whalesharkattacks. It represents another significant occasion for the duo as it is their first album together since 2015.
Taking the shape of a pounding electronic music track with drawn-out synths built around Ost’s ethereal vocal harmonies, Mountain Girl takes the lead. Next up is The Gallery, which gains brooding intensity from a powerful bass line with the eighties wave influences and laconic vocals from Whalesharattack. If Steve Strange and the New Romantics had reached adulthood in 2022, it might have been the music they were dancing to. She’s Not From Spain appears as a garage-leaning, rave breaks-inspired song with Tracee’s lyrical ad-libs and Ost’s jazzy voice on top. I’m going to tell you a story about a lady who wished she was Spanish. This song by Ost & Kjex is legendary; it makes you nostalgic for fun evenings out in London.
Little Boxes, a straightforward house song, shortly comes up. It is powered by chanteuse Viviana’s relaxed, seductive vocals and a catchy bass line. With its seductive French chorus, it is headed directly for the Parisian dance floors. Another tribute to the break-beat genres, Dickie’s Pix features a pulsating electro beat and ominous pads. It has a gloomy, brooding mood that pulls you down the rabbit hole. It was inspired by industrial soundscapes and German electro master Anthony Rother. So now we’re prepared for the Nocturne’s simple and profound vibe. Ost and Whalesharkattacks’ vocal duet and the mellow piano stabs that follow eventually lead to the entrance of track seven, Above Trees. A techy, minimally laced track with a ton of groove that is naturally danceable. The album’s penultimate closer, Negative Space, follows. This is modern-day kraut rock. Press requests century, cosmic and spacey, takes us on an almost hour-long journey through space before Laila closes it up on a gloomy, haunting note. It captures the humor and tragedy that are frequently at the core of the Norwegian duo’s work and was inspired by the stunning fall of a Norwegian politician’s wife.
Songs from the end of the world is a love letter from the northern most frontiers of club music and a comment on the world’s current state of affairs. Inspired by the harsh times, we went back to our early influences such as industrial music, goth, wave, EBM, rave, classic house and techno to create what we consider our most technoid release to date. With the choice between submitting to pressure or going with hope, we are headed for the neon lights! So here are nine tracks we made with the dream of you dancing to it, this summer.
– Ost & Kjex
Grab a copy on Beatport now!
Stream Ost & Kjex – Songs From the End of the World LP on Spotify:
Tracklist:
1. Mountain Girl (Original Mix)
2. The Gallery Feat. WHALESHARKATTACKS (Original Mix)
3. She’s Not From Spain Feat. Tracee Meyn (Original Mix)
4. Little Boxes Feat. WHALESHARKATTACKS (Original Mix)
5. Dickie’s Pix (Original Mix)
6. Nocturne (Original Mix)
7. Above Trees (Original Mix)
8. Negative Space (Original Mix)
9. Laila (Original Mix)
