BEX Takes Control of the Dancefloor with Debut Project ‘Make It Louder’
Following standout success in the indie space (#1 SRN Network, #1 95bFM, #8 Official Alt Aotearoa Charts), Tāmaki Makaurau’s BEX is trading in her guitar for a synthesizer, boldly stepping into a new electronic sound with her new EP Make It Louder.
Released independently via DRM, the singer-songwriter showcases her production chops and musical range, exploring a wide array of styles, tempos, and grooves across a punchy six-song tracklist.
The 22-year-old has spent the last couple of years steadily building buzz around Aotearoa’s Alt-Pop circles through single releases (RadioActive, Radio Control, RadioOne, Empty Spaces, Welcometothegig) and an enthralling live show.
Venturing across the pond to Melbourne in January to perform at Creature Bar, and celebrate the release of her last single It’s Always Me with Radio Monash, BEX and her producer wongii (Psycho Gab, Bad Snacks) returned with a new keyboard and a fresh head of inspiration.
Subsequent studio sessions saw new material take on a radical shift in tone. Stomping drums, infectious basslines, and anthemic synths took centre stage, evoking feelings of post-COVID EDM heroes like Jane Remover, Ninajirachi, and Underscores.
The project opens with Pretty (Tell Me That I’m) – BEX’s most playful release to date. Channeling the confident, brat-pop energy of Charli XCX, BEX veils commentary on fashion, party-girl culture, and self-expression behind a glossy, pumping instrumental. “A lot of my discography focuses on overthinking and reflection, so I wanted to set this track up to be fun and flirty, almost in a satirical way, as the perspective I’m writing from is just so not me”.
Like a DJ set, the tracks flow seamlessly into one another. I Luv My Boy arrives with a snap, as bells and swirling synths make room for a 2-step groove. The Pink-Panther-esque energy oozes love and romance in a way that’s refreshing yet unapologetically BEX.
The title track, Make It Louder, is the project’s one true blue banger. An ode to the clubs, BEX takes on a stripped-back lyrical approach, putting it plainly as whirring bass layers do the talking. Amidst the driving four-on-the-floor kick pattern, an unsuspecting beat switch brings 90’s piano stabs to the forefront, finding their footing just as BEX queries the speaker-shaking drums back in, “Turn the bass up, can you make it drop?”
Next, The View kicks off a new theme for the project’s second leg. Euphoric vocal lines yearn for a break from a hyper-driven hustler lifestyle. Chaotic glitches and chord chops stack onto each other, only catching a break after the song’s climax, where BEX’s soaring lead underpins distorted 808s, drum-circle samples, and chopped arpeggios.
The hyper-pop energy dissipates as woozy guitar lines stretch into Reply i i i, which boasts possibly the stickiest hook of the project. Perfect for night-drive enjoyment at loud volumes, BEX journeys through sections of cascading synth lines and a euphoric breakdown, before riding out with her hypnotic vocals stuttering along in unison with the keys and bass – “Just text me your reply-i-i-i”. We end on the cinematic This City, which peppers in sporadic percussion sounds from the get-go as warm pads swell into a huge chorus. Various colours and textures spatter around rapidly while BEX passionately expresses a desire for self-improvement and goal-setting. Her parting words, “You’ll find me in the city” leave us an open invitation to follow BEX on her next musical journey.
Photo Credit: Scarlett Giffin Munn
