Cex "Presumed Dead" 2xcs

Cex

Presumed Dead

Automation Records

Fascinating. I guess this is less of a Cex release and more of a collaboration between Cex, who offers two full length cassettes of music, Elizabeth Youle, who writes a story that fills a small book inside the double cassette package, and Rebecca Fin Simonetti who does these excellent illustrations throughout the story that have a look of Steve Bissette. But first to the music. Cex has been an enigma to me in the past. I really wasn't a huge fan of the first few things I had heard. I can barely remember what they were really even like but let's just say that he has really started doing some amazing work. This release starts off so cold. Very low frequency bass that is almost inaudible and crushing at the same time accompanied by these subtle drones that come in and out. The first track sounds like the greatest FM3 Buddha Box track ever. It's really well done. After that, it's basically two hours of music on these cassettes. It's supposed to compliment the booklet but the story will be finished before the first track. None the less, this is fantastic music.  It moves all over the place. Sometimes it's jangled ukulele loops and the next track is almost harsh noise. I honestly think this may be Cex's masterpiece. I think the next step after this is a Bjork/Cex album. 

     The packaging is in one of those books on tapes packages that you have probably come across before. Big and heavy with spots for two cassettes and space for a booklet. In that way it is really well done. The booklet contains a short story about Henry Hudson, an explorer sent adrift in 1611 with just a few companions and never heard from again. The story is excellent. Sad and slightly psychedelic and the illustrations really work well. Very strong. The cover looks great. Nice type treatment and it totally works. Maybe not very cohesive with the story inside but it still looks good. The type treatment on the back cover are a little rough but it still works okay. I think they got a little italic happy and the whole thing starts to feel like a pamphlet. They also indent their first paragraphs of each chapter and that is not correct but in general this whole thing works. The tapes are nicely imprinted and I can tell the whole package was probably made at National Audio Company. The best yet the slowest place to get your tapes made. 

  Would I buy it? Yes, absolutely.