LIP CRITIC - Hex Dealer

And if you really want to stop me
You’re gonna have to come and kill me
There is no love that fills me
Only the things that thrill me
And if you really want to stop me
You’re gonna have to come and kill me
I have no thoughts I’m guilt free
You’re gonna have to come and kill me
(“Toxin Dodger”, Lip Critic)

Lip Critic are among the most intriguing underground acts in hip-hop of recent years. In an orgiastic pile-up of sounds recalling the humor of The Garden, the mutant chaos of the noisiest Death Grips (Jenny Death) and the danceable dissonance of Model/Actriz, the New York quartet has, ever since their overwhelming self-titled debut Ep, managed a downright visceral musical consistency, never repeating themselves in some endless, labyrinthine loop, experimenting just enough with each new album.
Formed by vocalist Bret Kaser, producer Conner Kleitz and drummers Danny Eberle and Ilan Natter (later replaced by Mikey Marinara), Lip Critic initially fused elements of industrial hip-hop with jagged post-punk, bordering on the most unhinged power noise, for an unexpectedly atomic result. The trait d'union with New York's underground subculture couldn't be more evident.

Despite a more accessible production compared to their beginnings - though never a distant one - the studio debut "Hex Dealer" (Partisan, 2024) marks their move to the noted American indie label, home to neo-psychedelic outfit The Black Angels and revivalists Fountaines Dc - to name just two.
On "Hex Dealer", Kaser's perpetually unbalanced mood is thrown right in the listener's face, shaped by the strain of social dynamics, digital overload, the post-irony that has disintegrated any sense of humor, and equally by a whirlwind of emotional chaos, driven by a genuine deformation of the surreal, whose "traditional image" already seems like a distant memory.

The relentless drum patterns, akin to an overloaded heartbeat ("The Heart"), are of course no match for Kleitz's dazzling production, saturated with micro-sounds and endless quirks. The rarefied synth-industrial punk of "It's The Magic" stands out for its detonating bass, backed by dense, churning drum patterns, while the manic digital hardcore of "Love Will Redeem You" hurls us into a hallucinogenic dimension, ruled by ghosts and demons ready to feed our intrusive thoughts.
With its rap rock chorus, "Milky Max" reflects the group's dirtiest, most feral side, while the electro-industrial of "Toxin Dodger" devours the entire tracklist through an eccentric web of synths, drums and distorted vocals.

Born to lose, Lip Critic already have a decent following, a sign of the compelling live activity they've built thanks to their undeniable energy.

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17/06/2026