Rex Darling – “Carcinogen”

Columbia-based band Rex Darling hit us with a new single, “Carcinogen,” this weekend. It’s the group’s first release since “High Fashion Crazy” earlier in 2021.

“Carcinogen” creates a sense of foreboding right away with mischievous, almost sinister guitar strumming. A violin punctuates the anticipatory energy with another layer of anxious sound. Singer Catherine Hunsinger flexes her vocal abilities, filling the listener’s mind with images of ash, dust, fire and flames.

According to the band’s Instagram post, “Carcinogen” is “about the second extinction,” and it’s clear that both sonically and lyrically, the song is meant to convey the precarious state of our planet. 

As doom-laden as the subject matter may be, the track is still a joy to take in —  Hunsinger’s soaring yet crackly vocals blend with acoustic guitar and manic fiddling and percussion to create a truly dynamic soundscape.

Stream “Carcinogen” by Rex Darling below.