Des Cox’s “My Internet Lover”

Cutting through our speakers with a blustery beat, Des Cox’s “My Internet Lover” gets started with a bang of the drums and a swift-kick to the string section before unleashing charming lead vocals from Cox himself. The unfurling harmony is a little scratchy, a bit abrasive even, and yet it’s as tuneful as any you’re likely to hear out of an independent source this spring. Cox’s delivery is spot-on to the groove of the drums, but it’s no secret that he’s improvising through the bulk of his performance here. His unevenly synchronized melodies form a breathtakingly avant-garde wall of musicality, and although it’s one of the odder features I’ve heard in a song lately, it’s what makes “My Internet Lover” the alternative pop prize it truly is.

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The vocal is at the center of the mix here, but it doesn’t penetrate the gruff guitar harmonies for a second. The contrast between the two elements is a juggernaut in itself, but had the lyrics not been as eccentric in tone as they are, I don’t think the finished product would have been quite as enrapturing for both audiophiles and casual pop fans alike. The guitar sways with as much weight as the drums do, and even though they occupy different corners of the track, they never sound at odds with one another, nor do they intrude on the stream of verses for even a second. In other words, “My Internet Lover” is as multilayered as something off of a vintage Frank Zappa LP, and, as evidenced by the detail in its beats, easily as complex compositionally.

Des Cox hasn’t received the same degree of publicity in the United States as he has in the United Kingdom for his work, but I think that could absolutely change once this song finds an audience among American hipsters craving something entirely fresh and original this season. There’s been a shortage of outrageously experimental artists on the western side of the Atlantic lately, and though I wouldn’t say that this is the most extreme alternative treat I’ve come across in the last few months, it’s certainly the most fetching and hook-driven. Cox is a very talented artist, and his skillset could be exploited even more than it was on this occasion.

At three and a half minutes in total length, “My Internet Lover” isn’t the longest song in the world by any means, but for what it lacks in length it more than makes up for in artistic substance. With the assistance of an equally gifted drummer and backup vocalist, Des Cox brings a taste of his stage experience home to those of us still in quarantine in this new single, and for that, I think critics and audiences should be quite grateful. I only just recently became acquainted with his sound and artistry, but after getting intrigued by the intimate harmonies of this new single, I definitely plan on keeping him on my radar in the future. He’s got a one of a kind sound, and it’s doing wonders for his moniker here.

Mindy McCall

The music of DES COX has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division.  Learn more https://musikandfilm.com