Exeter is an upcoming producer who makes experimental and electronic music from virtual influences. Otherwise known as Evan Doyle, the Toronto-based artist first became interested in strange sounds and raw beats. His musical inspiration is derived from hip-hop, rock, and vintage Japanese video games.
Exeter is finally ready to reveal to his audience what exactly he has been working on lately, and we here at EARMILK has the exclusive stream of his debut and self-titled EP. Overall, there are six tracks that each reach a well crafted range of sound composition. You can hear a full stream of the EP below, set for release with Rare Beef Records on May 11th. Before the official drop, Exeter alongside Eytan Tobin, Fanboy, Messha, and more will play a showcase event on May 7th in Toronto.
The initial tones in "Cartridges" are rather uneasy, as the whispering female voice creates an introduction into the whole entire work. The softer sounds act as an eerie opening, which Exeter uses in alternating rhythms to emphasize.
The second track on the Exeter EP is titled "Scan – Lock" and is in reference to the sounds of a dog fight. The kind you witness looking up in the sky, where air ships are flying back and forth in circles to achieve a firmer position. You hear a similar style between the melody and main beat.
"Aegis Theme / Based World Interlude" is the third track and easily the most calming track on the whole EP. Exeter explains how the song is specifically made for a Toronto game developing company to use in a new project.The six minute song moves over two separate soundscapes of intricate design. The final phase transitions into a more chill composition. Exeter uses his weird sounding whispering vocal clips again to bridge the move. The roll out is certified clean and is questionably my favourite moment from the whole EP.
The fourth song on the EP is somewhat Exeter's only sound design and somewhat a bootleg of Prince. Either way, "XTRA" takes on a new life of it's own, as a moment of melodic relief throughout the Exeter EP. There are smooth sound clips scattered throughout the track, but the real highlight of "XTRA" lies in the vocal samples.
"Complex – Power Weapons" is another two part tease that offers different directions of Exeter's production capabilities. It's relatively low-beat with minimal music underlying the main mood. Exeter claims he made the track in aim of showcasing his hip-hop side, but also wanted to try and show off his trap-like skills. The outcome is a low-key, slow moving, beat sensation.
The last song on Exeter's EP is titled "Exeter vs The Ectoplasmic Hive". It's an eleven minute track that sounds simply all over the place in a mix of 808 hi hats, melodic rhythms, and skewed vocal clips. Exeter created this final piece over the course of a few weeks and really just wanted to have fun with his final work.
Summarizing the Exeter EP is a difficult task because of the versatile assortment of music. The debut EP from Toronto producer Exeter is meant to showcase his style to a new audience who is likely not familiar with his music. The role of debut EPs' in particular is always to display a wide range of material. Exeter was able to show his skills in several styles and all through individual production. It's this reason why the Exeter EP deserves an 8 out of 10 accolade.
