If you like your songs to get straight to the point, you’ll love Exotic Fruitica’s latest single ‘90k House in Sweden.’ Right from the beginning, you know the post-punk band from Austin, TX is swinging for the fences, from the aggressive vocal style to the grating guitar performance, this track has something for every fan of hardcore music. It’s the type of song that is going to have you asking yourself important questions for hours on end, with the most important being the song's closing line, ‘Does anyone have a fucking Tic Tac?’
This song immediately grabs the listener’s attention right at the beginning with a straightforward drumbeat that leads into an abrasive guitar riff. The band does a great job at creating a world for the listener to get immediately engulfed into. One of the most exciting moments of the song though is when our vocalist comes onto the track. This vocal delivery is the epitome of the classic post-punk tradition: raw, intense shouting. The execution showcased in this performance, however, surpasses even esteemed acts like IDLES, displaying the importance of intensity in the genre, and even taking it up a notch in the process.
One of the things that makes the song shine even brighter is its raw lyrics. There is an interesting combination of self-awareness, regret, and dark humor. All three of these elements at play push and pull against one another. There are moments where it feels like there is the self-realization of a problem, and the singer admits ‘I can’t hold my tongue’. In other verses, there is a sense of tongue-in-cheekiness, and a lot of talk about Tic Tacs, like when the vocalist says, ‘It’s a punk rock life baby, and god I need a spearmint Tic Tac’. There is also a very lived-in feeling to this song, especially during the last verse of the track. It all culminates in the vocalist stating:
"There’s bleach in the sheets
Covered in dog hair
I owe a lot more than I remember
Does anyone have a fucking Tic Tac"
These lyrics admittedly feel like a puzzle at times, but I think they showcase the overall gambit of emotions that regret can give an individual, and I especially appreciate the dark humor at play throughout the song.
Overall, this track feels like something any fan of hardcore music can immediately get into right away. Fans of this style of music will appreciate the no-nonsense approach the band takes to their intro, and be captivated throughout the 2-and-a-half-minute runtime of the track, wishing that the song was longer, but it’s okay. You always have the replay button at your disposal. The overall energy Exotic Fruitica display on the track will have you wishing that you were watching them live in some crowded small (or big) room in Austin, TX with other fans just jamming out to the aggressive sounds this crew has to offer. Overall, a very exciting introduction for me to this band, and I can’t wait to explore more of their music soon.
Listen to '90k House In Sweden' below:
Tags: #EXOTICFRUITICA #90kHouseinSweden #trackreview #2024 #2024Music #MusicReview #Punk #PostHardcore #PostPunk #NoiseRock #Austin #AustinMusic