“EXETER” by Bladee

Like a jump castle for your soul

By Sebastian Alfonzo

Although Rome was not built in a day, “EXETER” was done in seven. Not the historic city in southwest England, nor the small town in New Hampshire. The hasty wonderland I refer to is the latest LP from Swedish pop hunk Bladee.

The Drain Gang CEO recorded “EXETER” with Sad Boys producer Gud during a week-long expedition on Gotland, a small island off of Sweden’s southeast coast. Also featured on the album is fellow Drain Gang vocalist Ecco2K, who graces the project with his signature angelic harmonies. On the creative process behind “EXETER,” Bladee remarked that the project served as an exercise in “trying to paint and express an inner image... through sound.” 

Compared to Bladee’s previous projects, the LP’s cover art is refreshingly minimal. It features a playful yet unsettling red-faced creature wearing an orange judicial wig and an elaborate silver collar. This character looks straight out of Lewis Carroll’s rabbit hole, and considering the album’s second track is titled “WONDERLAND,” it just might be. 

The album often feels like a jump castle for the soul or a carnival ride for the mind. “EXETER” features one earworm after another, with many of the album’s delicate refrains dwelled amidst my mindspace long after it finished. Some of the album’s catchiest moments include the hooks on “MERRY-GO-ROUND” and “OPEN SYMBOLS (PLAY) BE IN YOUR MIND.” 

Considering “EXETER” was recorded during summer 2019, the album begs the question: what else is Bladee hiding from us? Perhaps a secret child born from champagne-infused passion? Or maybe he, too, is actually from London. Regardless, we here at “The Wake” are excited for whatever the enigmatic drainer has in store for us next.