Sex Dwarf Påhittad Värld LP
SEX DWARF: the epitome of a band name you probably should not Google. These Swedish punks have been around for a while now and have made a bit of a name for themselves, but seeing as their previous record was released in 2019, I thought they were more or less inactive, and being wrong has never felt so sweet indeed. Påhittad Värld is their third album, and arguably their most convincing effort. The production is probably heavier and more dynamic than on their already excellent previous EP Sensou Hantai, but the songwriting is not dissimilar (but then, who really expected skacore breaks?). SEX DWARF’s compass points to the classic Japanese noisepunk sound of SWANKYS or CONFUSE, but I can hear a snottier Bristolian influence on some numbers here, and because I suppose they just cannot really help it, the band also relies on the old school Stockholm käng style when they decide to go into seventh gear. Listing all this, you would be tempted to classify SEX DWARF as a crasher crust band, but you’d be mistaken as no crust flies here—they never leave hardcore territory (the vocals are the perfect reflection of this). There are dozens of bands claiming to do the GAI noize hardcore thing, but few (if any) do it with the same inspiration as these gentlemen. There is a good diversity of beats, and the seamless transitions from one song to the next keep the listener engaged through a hook-driven ferocity (if that makes sense?). My one critique would be that the introduction is a bit too long compared to the overall length of the album. Other than that, it’s a top-shelf release in the genre and one of 2025’s highlights.