After spending years crafting indie pop melodies in his basement, Chris Daviduik decided it was time to record his best material at a studio. The resulting masterpiece that is Integration, he describes as “a blend of piercing guitars and orchestrated synthesizers with alternative rocking drum and bass lines driving the songs to completion.” I couldn’t agree more. Based out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, the band consists of Chris Daviduik on guitar/vocals, Liz Syrnick on synthesizer/backup vocals, Dylan Smith on drums and Brandon Mellish on bass.

“A Novel Romance” kicks things off on Integration with plenty of guitar and percussion textures blending well with Chris Daviduik’s vocals. He sings softly at first, before a gritty guitar interlude envelops the track. At three and a half minutes long, the song is a glimpse into the rest of the EP and a solid portrayal of Sexy Mathematics’ talent.

Having spent years crafting each song to perfection, Sexy Mathematics’ debut EP demonstrates countless hours of hard work and perfection. With an EP this strong, one can only wonder what their next release will bring. “Who Knows” segues effortlessly after “A Novel Romance.” A guitar heavy track, it is the singer that is in the background on this song. “I don’t think this love is what we had in mind or resolved/Changing is young and over-rated,” Daviduik sings. The guitar riffs quickly capture the listener’s attention wholeheartedly while the musical accompaniment remains at the forefront of this track instead of the singer. Not always in the best interest for a band, but it works well on “Who Knows.”

“When Isometrics Collide” is as close to a psychedelic experience as one can have listening to music. Heavy in synthesizer, Daviduik sings, “Start seeing your life as the best thing to happen to me or anyone else alive,” among plenty of guitar fuzz. “When Isometrics Collide” leaves the listener begging for more. Just over halfway through the EP, the song presents an ethereal quality with Daviduik’s seductive singing style and accompanying music.

“The Void” and “Set Up!” close Integration strong and with incredibly high intensity. One of the more upbeat and gritty tracks on the EP, Daviduik’s singing style throughout “Set Up!” brings slight resemblance to that of The Clash. The song powers through from the guitar entrance to the fade out of the song, leaving listeners wanting more.  An accurate portrayal of an up-and-coming indie rock band, Integration promises great things for Canada’s Sexy Mathematics.

Review written by Annie Reuter

The first song A Novel Romance is interesting computer-pop which starts out almost as techno but then becomes some rock and roll/computer-music hybrid that’s at once arresting and enchanting. Though not really my cup of tea overall, I found it impossible to stop listening, mostly because I didn’t know what was going to come next. Very compelling song, and while the chorus seems hooky, overall kind of clunky for radio but a very innovative effort, nonetheless. The next song Who Knows could be by the Cars if the Cars had been influenced by 80’s synthpop instead of influencing it. Very poppy and more hooky than the first song, with a decent amount of guitar riffing that could be beefed up and improved by some better production values, which seem locked into the early ’80’s. Third song Transmissions starts off thin but gets beefed up by the first chorus with some compressed guitars and some funky synth breaks. Marc Bolan crossed with Depeche Mode. When Isometrics Collide a romantic synth ballad witgh some ballsy guitar that would fit into the movie Sixteen Candles if it were just being made today, unfortunately it’s not and the sound is a little retro for what’s going today pop-music wise. Song goes on seemingly forever too or does it just feel that way?  Up next is The Void and it is a pure dance-floor rave-up with guitars blazing and tempo racing. Great snarling pop and would’ve made the radio for sure back in good old ‘82.  The last song on this EP is called Set Up! and sounds almost like early metal but becomes Cramps-like soon enough, though not with that band’s frenetic pace. More metallic here but with enough dance elements to make it exciting. Very interesting song I can see making a big splash on radio.

While neither dance music, math-rock, nor techno make a big splash on my list of music genre preferences, I have to say I like what I am hearing on this CD. Though not much here could be called totally original, the way Sexy Mathematics manages to combine several genres and craft the result into a fresh sound is quite interesting and often innovative, if not totally unique. The only problem I see is the band having what could be perceived as a retro gimmick. While a lot of ’80’s music has become “retro-chic” among young people today with many bands appropriating those sounds, I fear that by following a similar path Sexy Mathematics may find themselves becoming more of an act with a shtick ala Southern Culture On The Skids or Brian Setzer who are seemingly more appreciated for their look and attention to period detail than they are with their actual musical talent or the statement they make through their songs. I guess time will tell the story but as I wait, I will listen to Sexy Mathematics new CD and hope they soon make another.

Reviewed by Scott Homewood