Xex

[a=xex] were an all-synthesizer band from South River, New Jersey who recorded their debut album in 1980. Formed when a trio of high school misfits with funny names teamed up with some friends from Rutgers College. Performed entirely on then-state-of-the-art Arps, synths and electronic drums – no guitars anywhere – Xex aims for the future, but comes across now like a time capsule from the deepest, darkest Reagan years. Xex was all but forgotten until 1998, when radio DJ [a=Tom Smith (2)] rediscovered their debut album in the WFMU music library and tracked down the band members, which lead to a CD reissue in 2004 on Smack Shire Records.