By Psyched! Radio
Sextile’s fourth studio album, Yes, Please —released May 2, 2025 via Sacred Bones Records—stands as the Los Angeles duo’s most daring synthesis of post-punk ferocity and electronic experimentation to date. From its very first moments, the record demands attention: “Freak Eyes” erupts with siren-like synth alarms that give way to a relentless, dance-floor-ready beat. The track’s pulsating rhythm and jagged guitar stabs set the tone for an album that thrives on tension and release.
Throughout Yes, Please, Sextile expertly balances abrasive sonics with melodic accessibility. “Rearrange” channels industrial heft through thunderous percussion and distorted bass, yet a sticky chorus lures the listener back for repeated spins. Elsewhere, “Women Respond to Bass” confronts contemporary gender politics with an unflinching vocal performance over dissonant low end, transforming social critique into a visceral, cathartic experience.
The album’s emotional core emerges in its more tender moments. On “Hospital,” Melissa Scaduto revisits her near-fatal accident with crystalline vocals that float atop minimal, glitch-inflected production. The subdued instrumentation underscores the song’s themes of vulnerability and resilience, reminding the listener that beneath the duo’s formidable exterior lies genuine human fragility. “Soggy Newports” continues this thread, pairing intimate lyricism with understated synth washes that evoke a late-night haze.
Interludes of introspection recur elsewhere on Yes, Please. “Penny Rose” unfolds as a meditation on education, technology, and generational inheritance, its haunting synth motif framing Keehn’s evocative narrative. In this context, Sextile’s rhythmic propulsion feels almost secondary to the intellectual and emotional stakes at play.
Collaborations further enrich the album’s palette. “Push Ups,” featuring guest vocals from Jehnny Beth, fuses raw punk energy with propulsive electronic textures. The track’s relentless momentum and call-and-response vocal interplay demonstrate Sextile’s ability to integrate outside voices without compromising their distinct identity.
Production throughout Yes, Please is both polished and abrasive, capturing the duo’s penchant for sharp contrasts. Clattering drum programming sits alongside lush pads, and searing guitar loops are tempered by delicate arpeggiators. This dynamic range allows Sextile to traverse the spectrum from dance-floor anthems to introspective ballads without losing coherence.
In sum, Yes, Please solidifies Sextile as innovators at the intersection of post-punk and electronic music. Their fearless integration of personal narrative, political commentary, and dance-floor sensibilities establishes a new benchmark for genre experimentation. With its expertly calibrated interplay of tension and release, the album rewards repeated listening and cements Sextile’s reputation as one of contemporary music’s most vital forces.