About

Relaxer (stylised as RELAXER) is the third studio album by English indie rock band alt-J, released on 2 June 2017 by Infectious Music and the Canvasback Music division of Atlantic Records.

The band recorded Relaxer in London with producer Charlie Andrew, who also produced alt-J's first two albums. It includes songs composed entirely during the album's recording and songs dating back to the band's formative years at the University of Leeds. Six of the album's eight tracks feature strings arranged by alt-J and performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra. "House of the Rising Sun" is a rearrangement of the traditional folk tune with additional verses from the band. "3WW" and "Deadcrush" feature guest vocals from Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice and "Last Year" features guest vocals from Marika Hackman, who sang on alt-J's previous album.

alt-J promoted Relaxer with the singles "3WW", "In Cold Blood", and "Adeline", accompanied by music videos. The band also enlisted Japanese artist Osamu Sato to create an online game inspired by his own game LSD as part of the promotion for Relaxer. The album's artwork features a screenshot of Sato's game. – Wiki

“‘Relaxer’ flits between two sides. Sweet romanticism – the lyric “I just want to love you in my own language”, the decision to have the group’s girlfriends sampled – is juxtaposed with the unsettling cover art of what appears to be a bloodied murder victim. This shouldn’t be all that surprising from a band that once made a video about killing one’s partner in the bath.

Still, the playful, inventive musicality that saw songs like ‘Fitzpleasure’ become live favourites is intact. ‘Hit Me Like That Snare’ is that moment, with its punk-cut drumming, layers of distortion and vocal origami folds from frontman Joe Newman. There’s more traditional journeyman storytelling here too, particularly on the gentlest song, ‘Last Year’, in keeping with the group’s literary influences.

By the time you get to the cinematic, religion-nodding album closer ‘Pleader’, you’ve had the pleasure – if an often uneasy one – of listening to a tight 40 minutes of music that builds a very modern wall of sound. Great album, if not entirely relaxing.” – NME

“Just as strong as their previous two albums, Relaxer sees alt-J continuing to explore new sonic territory, mixing powerful beats with dangerous, heart-wrenching tales. The band seems to be calmly inviting you to try some deep dives with them, taking you from English royal history and a disgraced Tudor queen, to a jail in Ireland, to the cold bottom of a pool in summer, to Van Gogh’s asylum…

Audibly, there doesn’t seem to be anything they can’t do – manipulating strings, using falsetto to convey feelings as discordant as biting mockery and personal vulnerability, or mixing percussive rock with tempo changes that arrive like a sudden pressure drop.” – Paste Magazine

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