"We Feel Good About Self" by Ab Ex is a lovely bit of electronic music. It transported me back to an era in the mid to late 2000s when crunchy synth-led remixes of danceable indie tracks dominated club floors (in the UK at least).
You're thrown straight in at the deep end as the track kicks off, repeating a baseline that's bouncy and just the right amount of sinister. Early Metronomy used to do the same thing, using tongue-in-cheek lyrics and upbeat drum fills to sneak in moody and decidedly darker melodies that brood and bubble away underneath. It really works here, and the intermittent rapid hi-hat breaks are properly danceable.
This is the kind of electronic music that's brash and direct, all channels turned up to the max and hellbent on getting you up and moving. There's a silliness to it too, which I'll always appreciate. It's trendy to take oneself very seriously as an electronic artist, and I much prefer the method showcased here of sticking a very European vocal sample over the top of thumping beats; audiophiles and genre-purists be damned.
While the track is simple and direct, it does evolve subtly over its runtime. The main melody repeats as filters are stacked atop one another. The track swells and the high-end fills with whooshing space as the beats remain clean and constant to anchor things and ensure a smooth landing. This is definitely one to check out if you're a fan of Hot Chip's darker, dancier stuff (One Life Stand), and if you like stompy, sample-heavy electronic bands like Does It Offend You Yeah. I can almost taste the watermelon alcopops and cheap lager from a flimsy plastic pint glass. More of this, please.