''Sex'' is the second

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

(EP) by English band

the 1975 The 1975 are an English pop rock band formed in 2002 in Wilmslow, Cheshire. Now based in Manchester, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matthew "Matty" Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer G ...

. It was released on 19 November 2012 by

Dirty Hit Dirty Hit is a British independent record label founded in December 2009 by Jamie Oborne, Brian Smith, and former England footballer, Ugo Ehiogu. It is currently based in West London, England. Their releases are distributed to digital platforms ...

. A modified version was released in the US on 1 January 2013 by Dirty Hit and

Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

. The band produced the EP alongside Michael Coles, Robert Coles and

Mike Crossey Mike Crossey (born 1979) is a Northern Irish record producer, songwriter, and mixing engineer. He produced the debut single by Arctic Monkeys, collaborating with them over two albums. He is known for his ongoing relationship with The 1975 in a ...

. They drew musical inspiration from

Sigur Rós Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band from Reykjavík, active since 1994. The band comprises singer and guitarist Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal sound, fron ...

Brian Eno Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...

and filmmaker John Hughes while thematically focusing on the passage of time. Prior to the record's debut, a

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

for "

Sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...

" was released. An

ambient rock Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation wit ...

-influenced

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

, R&B, electro, pop and

emo Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...

record, ''Sex'' is musically divided into two halves. Its first half is characterised by its ethereal compositions which draw from

electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...

, while the second half is informed by an extensive use of guitars. The record's lyrics incorporate themes of love, sex and drugs. Upon release, the EP received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, who praised the exploration of various genres but felt the record suffered from a lack of cohesion.

Development and release

In January 2012, the 1975 was formed by singer Matthew Healy, drummer George Daniel, guitarist Adam Hann and bassist Ross MacDonald, who had played music together since 2002. After being rejected by all major record labels, artist manager Jamie Osborne discovered the band and signed them to his label

. The 1975 began a process of releasing three

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

s (EP) leading to their debut album. In August of the same year, the band released their debut EP, '' Facedown'', to critical success. To aid in developing the follow-up record, ''Sex'', the 1975 approached

, who provided additional production and mixing on "

" and "You". In addition to working with producers Michael and Robert Coles, the band self-produced "Intro/Set3". Regarding the creative process behind ''Sex'', Healy said: "We were planning on putting out he EPswith absolutely no intention of them being accepted in the way they have. We kind of got used to being in really underground bands - where the world of mainstream radio and media just seems so genuinely far away." The 1975 drew inspiration from

, ambient musician

and filmmaker John Hughes. The singer noted that his affection for ambient music stems from the genre's use in movies, which he enjoyed at a young age, saying it "commands you how to feel without the use of words". Discussing the overall theme of the EPs, Healy said they were focused on sex, love, drugs and fear, while also noting: "The songs on ''Sex'' are all about passing moments. Moments that we don't analyse at the time – only to understand them retrospectively." A

for "Sex" was released on 5 October 2012, while the EP was released by Dirty Hit on 19 November 2012. A different version of ''Sex'' containing a modified tracklist was released in the US on 1 January 2013 by Dirty Hit and

Composition

Music and lyrics

Exploring

concepts, ''Sex'' combines

, R&B, electro, pop and

music, while the lyrics deal with themes of love, sex and drugs. Writing for ''Hit the Floor Magazine'', Amy Jones said that in contrast to ''Facedown'', ''Sex'' contains a "slightly darker ndmore foreboding" tone, while '' Paste'' writer Shaina Pearlman observed "equal parts ethereal and

synth pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...

" throughout the record. Amanda Koellner of ''

Consequence Consequence may refer to: * Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment'' * In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior * Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...

'' identified two distinct sounds within ''Sex''. She described the first as recalling the "intricate

" of Passion Pit's "more mellow songs". Koellner wrote that "Sex" marks the EP's sonic shift from a "companionless headphone" record to the "centre of a party", characterised by "traditional" guitar-heavy compositions. ''

DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and sem ...

''s Martyn Young shared this opinion and said the EP is "arbitrar lysplit between the first two overtly

electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic co ...

hazy pop songs and the second two "more straightforward traditional guitar tracks". ''QRO Magazine'' writer Robin Sinhababu noted that ''Sex'' is composed of four different styles of British emo.

Songs

"Intro/Set3", an electronic, R&B and pop

slow jam A slow jam is music with rhythm and blues and soul influences. Slow jams are commonly R&B ballads or downtempo songs, and are mostly soft-sounding with heavily emotional or romantic lyrical content. The earliest known use of the term is the 1983 ...

, opens ''Sex'' with "glitching" layers instruments and effects, electronic

synth A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and f ...

beats and tiered vocals which utilise a "cut up vocal effect". The song gradually builds until reaching a plateau in its mid-section. A "hazy" and "futuristic" 1990s-style electronic, R&B and pop slow jam, "Undo" contains electronic synths and elements of

chillwave Chillwave (originally considered synonymous with glo-fi and hypnagogic pop) is a music microgenre that emerged in the late 2000s. It loosely emulates 1980s electropop while engaging with notions of memory and nostalgia. Common features inclu ...

indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...

and acoustic. "Sex" is an

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...

and emo-rock song. Drawing from

pop-punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...

Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...

and

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...

, the production features minimal synths and a

post-rock Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with ...

-influenced

middle eight The 32-bar form, also known as the AABA song form, American popular song form and the ballad form, is a song structure commonly found in Tin Pan Alley songs and other American popular music, especially in the first half of the 20th century. A ...

. Lyrically, the song is about spontaneous sexual intercourse ("But if we're gonna do anything we might as well just fuck") while Healy repeats the

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

: "She's got a boyfriend anyway". Incorporating elements of

shoegaze Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with "dream pop") is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volu ...

, "You" is a guitar-heavy

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

that begins with gentle and quiet distorted guitars as Healy sings: "You're a liar / At least all of your friends are". As the song continues to build, subtle drums are added at the 40-second mark while Healy sings the hook: "It takes a bit more than you". Thematically, Healy said the track was inspired by the dissolution of his social group, noting it represents "that moment when you realise, h, that was a bit of a waste of time--but fuck it, I'm actually just as happy as I was before so no harm done . "

Milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. Immune factors and immune ...

" is a

hidden track In the field of recorded music, a hidden track (sometimes called a ghost track, secret track or unlisted track) is a song or a piece of audio that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, LP record, or other recorded medium, in such a way as t ...

that occupies the final two minutes and twelve seconds of "You". It is a guitar-heavy

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...

and indie song containing elements of electro and shoegaze, while the lyrics deal with drugs and sex. "Head.Cars.Bending (George Daniel Remix)" is an electronic and

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

song that incorporates elements of

UK garage UK garage, abbreviated as UKG, is a genre of electronic dance music which originated in England in the early to mid-1990s. The genre was most clearly inspired by garage house, but also incorporates elements from dance-pop, R&B, and jungle. It ...

. The song's original version was later released on the 1975's third EP, ''

Music for Cars ''Music for Cars'' is the third extended play (EP) by English band The 1975, released on 4 March 2013 by Dirty Hit, Polydor Records and Vagrant Records. Development of the record began after the band completed their eponymous debut album. Work ...

'' (2013).

Critical reception

Awarding ''Sex'' a score of 9 out of 10, Amy Jones commended the EP's musical diversity and its development of the 1975's signature sound, asserting the record shows promise for the band's debut album. In addition to praising the title track as a highlight from the EP, she wrote: "Every track on this is incredible and shows off the band's spectrum of talents with ease and simplicity." Pearlman lauded the diversity of genres on ''Sex'', writing that while it did not appear entirely cohesive at first, repeated listens helped the EP "

ome Ome may refer to: Places * Ome (Bora Bora), a public island in the lagoon of Bora Bora * Ome, Lombardy, Italy, a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Brescia * Ōme, Tokyo, a city in the Prefecture of Tokyo * Ome (crater), a crater on Mars Tran ...

together remarkably well". She was particularly favourable toward the second half of the record, writing that the 1975 excel on pop-oriented songs such as "Sex" and "You", the latter of which she deemed as "undoubtedly the standout". Norman Fleischer of '' Nothing but Hope and Passion'' praised the variety of styles present on the EP and deemed the title track an "obvious hit single", writing that the band "stick up to the expectations" set by fellow

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

musicians. Martyn Young awarded ''Sex'' three out of five stars; asserting that while the record showed "a great deal of promise"—with the exception of "You", which he opined ends the EP on a disappointing note—he struggled to understand "exactly who e 1975 are", owing to the band's "wildly fluctuating" sound. Amanda Koellner gave ''Sex'' a grade of C−. She commended the 1975's exploration of different styles and called the EP a "fun listen with lots to offer". However, she felt it was "apparent that The 1975 are still searching for their sound" and criticised the transition from the first half of the record to the second, comparing it to "an accidental click of the shuffle button". In a negative review, Robin Sinhababu gave the EP a score of 3.5 out of 10. Despite praising the "dynamic" sound of "You", she called Healy a nuisance and criticised the record's overtly sexual nature, saying the singer "whines melodramatically about all kinds of things, from the irrelevant to the trivial".

Track listing

Later digital editions of ''Sex'' replace the 19 minutes of silence with just under 3 minutes; this version is 9:52 in length and "Milk" begins at 7:36. Notes * signifies an additional producer * On the standard version, "Sex" is alternatively titled "Sex - EP Version" * "Head.Cars.Bending (George Daniel Remix)" is alternatively titled "Head.Cars.Bending (The 1975 Remix)"

References

{{Authority control 2012 EPs The 1975 EPs Vagrant Records albums Rock EPs Contemporary R&B EPs Electro albums by English artists Pop music EPs Emo EPs