Adelaide/Kaurna producer Strict Face returns with the news of his forthcoming EP, Age of Burnout, out August 7th via NLV Records and today, shares the lead single ‘Ode to the Meatheads’.
With over fifteen years of music production and regular touring under his belt, Strict Face has quietly left his mark on the Australian landscape of underground dance music, establishing unexpected connections between contemporary electronic music and its predecessors. “A masterclass in meticulous sonic construction that sounds like a blast” (Abby Butler, triple j), Strict Face first cut his teeth in the world of instrumental grime during its second wave in the early 10s, and now as a versatile producer, is known for his heady, no-holds-barred approach to club music.
Having released through Mumdance and Mr. Mitch’s respective Different Circles and Gobstopper labels, he also fronts multiple imprints including SLG International and Heuristic, and has found a longtime home at NLV Records, where his evolution has charted from momentary flirts with pop/R&B production (2017’s This Heat EP and 2018’s New Racer mixtape) to the club music he’s gained a notoriety for (2021’s Pulsers and 2022’s Focus, Explode).
Exploring the state of the world through his own lens, Age of Burnout follows Strict Face’s 2025 album Severe Forward, which revealed his roots in a merger of modular techno and the British hardcore continuum. A personal depiction that reflects on burnout, politics, digital overload and online culture, Age of Burnout draws from the legacy of Thomas Bangalter‘s Roulé, the forward-thinking nature of labels like Timedance and Fever AM and continues the traditions of the British bass continuum, kuduro, batida and bubbling music.
Today he shares the first single from the EP, with ‘Ode To The Meatheads’ – a dizzying club weapon that is heavy on modular synthesis while taking notes from heavyweights like Boyz Noize and Errorsmith. “‘Ode to the Meatheads’ stems from an idea I had of what an anthem for gym bros and bunnies who were raised on Boys Noize’s first two albums and the Timedance label in equal measure, instead of Melbourne bounce and Swedish EDM, would sound like. Further to this, the concept I had in mind was ‘Brainless after the office, but make it Braindance’,” he says. “The track is the next progression from my debut album Severe Forward, in that it’s still rooted in broken modular synthesis, creative sound processing and hand-crafted razor-sharp claps. However, there’s also a drunken yet noble hat-tip to Benny Benassi welded onto it.”
Having weathered an ever-changing clubbing landscape to leave his own stamp, Strict Face has seen co-signs from selectors as varied as DJ Plead, Jamz Supernova, Skrillex and Lena Willikens, alongside the ever-growing list of names he’s shared a DJ booth with, including Ben UFO, Chloé Robinson, Eris Drew, Massimiliano Pagliara, Jossy Mitsu and Special Request, all of which speak to to his versatility as a selector himself. Skillfully acknowledging chaos before it becomes out of control, Strict Face’s Age of Burnout takes stock and starts forging its way, stepping out of the shadows once and for all.
‘Ode To The Meatheads‘ is out now, buy/stream it here.
STRICT FACE
Age of Burnout EP
out August 7 via NLV Records
PRE-SAVE THE EP HERE