We have ourselves a mighty double attack here. First off, there’s Californian-based Julien-K, who have a ton of experience under their belts which dates back to well before their time with Orgy in the 90’s and early 2000’s. They’ve released stellar records in their current endeavour, most notably the genre-defying debut Death to Analog and the more recent Harmonic Disruptor.

On the other hand there’s The Anix, who has just as much wisdom, the foundations of this project dating back to 2001. The band gained huge traction with their third record Demolition City, which was a glorious usage of 80’s inspired sounds. In more recent years this has become a solo project with co-founder Brandon Smith taking full control of the reins. Both music projects pack robust electro-rock styles, so a collaborative effort only makes sense!

Back in January, this came into fruition on The Anix’s ninth outing Revenge (and a review is in the pipeline for that one), where Julien-K featured on a handful of tracks. Then they went and did it again the following month with single “Desperation Day” (the EoE backlog is slowly but surely being worked through…)

Needless to say, this is a powerhouse of a track that makes no hesitations in getting things started, as Julien-K’s more sleazy style meets with the whimsical synths of The Anix. It carries a decent tempo throughout, aided by slick beats and killer hooks which make it catchy as hell. There’s transitions between more ethereal atmospheric moments and immense soundscapes that have a real impact, thanks to contrasts of otherworldly ambience alongside gritty riffage – as well as everything between. There’s a luscious amalgamation of layers that weave around each other and the song goes through many movements that make it feel like multiple tracks in one. On each listen it feels as if there’s always something new and exciting to discover.

I honestly feel that “Desperation Day” would’ve worked wonderfully on The Anix’s Revenge, this being the best collaborative effort they’ve produced by far. That’s by no means a dig at the tracks on that record because they’re still fantastic, but this packs an edge that is truly something else. It resonates an intense, energetic performance whilst being able to hold onto it’s darker, bleaker tones and rich atmosphere in equal measure. This has the absolute best of both their worlds and is honestly an experience to listen to. Julien-K and The Anix feel like the perfect match – my only wish now is for them to work on a full album together. If this song is anything to go by, then that would be an unstoppable record!