Album Review: Laxe - Laxe

It’s an interesting moment to be making dreamy instrumental hip hop in Sydney. Laxe has made the most of it with his debut self-titled EP. Elements that initially feel past their use-by date – an echo of that most pedestrian of ‘90s genres, trip hop, here; a whisper of Blockhead’s 2004 Music By Cavelight there – reveal themselves to be throwbacks after spending a little time in our host’s world. Laxe comes equipped with some of the best traits of his fellow beatmaking Sydneysiders, like Flume’s pop sensibility and Jozz Scott’s remorseless curiosity. Combine that with his understanding of history, and it seems certain this won’t be the last we hear of Laxe.