Demos

The Exits - Neon City

Owain Paciuszko 29/07/2009

Rating: 2/5

Portsmouth's The Exits debut single Neon City sits alongside four remixes of itself on this release which precedes their forthcoming album. The original version of the track is an indie-electro song with shades of Verve Pipe and The Music in its fast-paced, lyrically limited three minutes. Though a competently put together single its so speedy and shiny as to sound more like a party you're not invited to than a possible indie dancefloor hit.

The remixes do little to change the feel of the track into something that'll win you over. Stretching it, distorting it, burying it, whatever; there's no real sense of reinvention here to rival something like Soulwax and, if you're not a fan of the track as is, you're probably not going to want to hear a five minute version.

There's also a b-side called You Gotta Help Me Out that treads ground familiar to the lead track, with a slightly Elastica-ish juxtaposition of riff and electro for good measure. It's actually a better track than the tentpole of this release, a little more fun in its restraint, rather than totally relying on an onslaught of sound that served to only clobber the listener rather than impress.