Solex - Low Kick & Hard Bop

Solex is the pseudonym of singer-songwriter and former Amsterdam record store owner Elisabeth Esselink, who came up with a deft blend of low-key techno and 'found sounds.' 'Solex Versus The Hitmeister' (1998) was her debut album for Matador and was composed using snippets from crappy, unsellable CDs. In a change of tack, 'Pick Up' (1999) was constructed from dozens of recordings that Esselink had secretly made during the gigs of local bands in Amsterdam. It can be considered a variant of a live-album. This extraordinary technique was continued on 'Low Kick And Hard Bop' (2001), where she sourced material from old vinyl, television, the better-looking talk show hosts, films, bootlegs, radio, street noises, and animals. Throughout that time, Solex kept great company, hitting the road with and opening shows for My Bloody Valentine, Cibo Matto, Yo La Tengo, and The Notwist. She has remixed Grizzly Bear, Wire and St. Vincent, and has collaborated with Mike Watt. Solex is planning to tour North America and Europe this year, her first run of shows in TK YEARS in support of a 25th anniversary reissue of ‘Low Kick and Hard Bop’ via Matador Records in September 2026. This will mark the first ever vinyl pressing of ‘Low Kick and Hard Bop,’ including the never-before-released track, “Mr. Crockpot.” While the records are handcrafted electronic in-studio creations, the shows will feature a three-piece group with guitar, drums, synthesizer, and, of course, vocals.