Not all music is easy to listen to. Sometimes the most inaccessible music is made with the most talent and emotion behind it. I have been hanging onto Xen by Arca for some time, mulling it over and even considering it for a best track of 2014 spot with “Theivery.” Ultimately, I decided that to honor one track from this 15 song epic would be unfair; the entire album deserves recognition, and has thusly been named one of our top ten albums at the Music Court.
WARNING: This video is mildly NSFW.
This album is brief, but for once I’m not complaining. Before you are even fully aware of the electro-noise, the song is over, and you are whisked off to the next sound, playing catch-up after each track. “Failed” is the intermission, a sad, slow melody that gives us a moment to reflect. We are lead back into the cacophony with the very next track, “Family Violence,” which is eerily similar to the score of Psycho. Though the sharp electronic beats are not consistent, I consider them the lyrics of the tracks, giving each one personality amid all the other musical elements. The perk of hearing a short album is the desire it leaves with you to replay it, which is something I highly recommend for any first timers. You won’t be able to comprehend the stories told on this album unless you give it a few more spins.
Xen is out now. Find more information on Arca on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud. For further reading on Xen, I highly recommend this review.
The Music Court 
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