SINGLE REVIEW: Cochlear Kill - Exits
Cochlear Kill’s ‘Exits’ isn’t here to make you feel comfortable—it’s here to make you feel. The Brisbane-born project, now Melbourne-based, has crafted a hauntingly introspective piece that takes shoegaze textures and twists them into something raw and unsettling. With its dark melodic layers and a heavy atmosphere, the track invites you into its depths, confronting themes of pain and escape in a way that’s as dissonant as it is compelling.
‘Exits’ is a sonic journey through distorted reality. Vocoders, loops, and walls of noise weave into a dreamlike haze, pushing the boundaries of what can be described as pop. This isn’t radio-friendly fluff; it’s music on the hallucinogenic side of the spectrum, where each sound feels meticulously placed yet overwhelmingly chaotic. The result? A track that’s more like an emotional excavation than a casual listen.
The lyrics cut deep, grappling with the weight of existence and the idea of relief through finality. Delivered with stark honesty, they bring an immediacy to the swirling instrumentals, grounding the ethereal soundscape in something painfully real. It’s this contrast—between the haze and the clarity—that makes ‘Exits’ hit so hard.
As the lead single from the forthcoming EP Songs in the Key of S, ‘Exits’ sets the tone for what’s to come: music that doesn’t shy away from life’s messier emotions. Cochlear Kill keeps the approach understated, letting the track’s intensity speak for itself. It’s not an easy listen, but that’s the point. If you’re ready to sit with the discomfort, ‘Exits’ offers a space where you’re not alone in it.
