Tri-coastal indie rock quartet Mamalarky’s new studio album “Hex Key” represents a significant artistic evolution, featuring intricate compositions with unexpected sonic detours and playful genre experimentation.
Mamalarky—comprising Livvy Bennett, Noor Khan, Michael Hunter, and Dylan Hill—approached the creation of “Hex Key” with meticulous attention to detail. Working from their Los Angeles home studio, the band recorded between the ambient sounds of their environment, creating what they describe as “a document of perseverance.”
Unlike their more exploratory previous album “Pocket Fantasy,” the songs on “Hex Key” demonstrate extraordinary devotion to fine-tuning. The band’s close-knit working relationship fuels this perfectionism, with guitarist and singer Livvy Bennett noting they never settle for less than exceptional performances. This philosophy has resulted in an album where each track creates its own distinct world.
“Hex Key” showcases this diversity through ethereal vocals cutting through synth notes on “The Quiet,” ’90s grunge guitar filtered through shimmery delay on “Anhedonia,” and a groove that balances ease and momentum on “Nothing Lasts Forever.” Their single “Anhedonia” transforms personal struggle into compelling music, with Bennett drawing from her experience with depression to create something powerful and ultimately hopeful.
While the music aims to comfort, it also honors confusion rather than attempting to eliminate it. “Hex Key” acknowledges life’s inherent discomforts—self-doubt, romantic yearning, displacement—and channels the anger these feelings can generate into creative expression.
The band’s proggy quirks and deliberate incoherences make them stand out while maintaining an effortless charm. The melodies on “Hex Key” have a hypnotic quality—simultaneously humid and tranquil, creating dazed, blissed-out experiences with rushing breakbeats reminiscent of a jittery Stereolab.
The band’s commitment to sonic exploration, emotional honesty, and technical excellence has created an album that acknowledges life’s struggles while transforming them into something beautiful and enduring.