Solex is the pseudonym of singer-songwriter and former Amsterdam record store owner Elisabeth Esselink, who came up with a deft blend of low-key techno and ‘found sounds.’ ‘Solex Versus The Hitmeister’ (1998) was her debut album for Matador and was composed using snippets from crappy, unsellable CDs. In a change of tack, ‘Pick Up’ (1999) was constructed from dozens of recordings that Esselink had secretly made during the gigs of local bands in Amsterdam. It can be considered a variant of a live album. This extraordinary technique was continued on ‘Low Kick And Hard Bop’ (2001), where she sourced material from old vinyl, television, the better-looking talk show hosts, films, bootlegs, radio, street noises, and animals. Way back then, The Wire called it “a dizzying array of elements and exuberance,” and we dare you to argue otherwise. Throughout that time, Solex kept great company, hitting the road with and opening shows for My Bloody Valentine, Cibo Matto, Yo La Tengo, and The Notwist. She has remixed Grizzly Bear, Wire, and St. Vincent and has collaborated with Mike Watt. Solex is planning to tour in 2026/2027, her first run of shows in 20 years, supporting a 25th anniversary reissue of ‘Low Kick and Hard Bop’ via Matador Records in September 2026. This is the first time the album will be available on vinyl. Both digital and vinyl will contain the special bonus track “Mr. Crockpot.” While the records are handcrafted electronic in-studio creations, the shows will feature a three-piece group with guitar, drums, synthesizer, and, of course, vocals.
“Solex’s Elisabeth Esselink takes you into her Dada-esqe, cut, paste, and fold sonic dance party,” writes Matador founder Chris Lombardi. “She reconstructs a million shards of sounds and styles into a kaleidoscopic musical masterpiece.” As the compact disc was the dominant physical format of that era, Matador never got around to releasing ‘Low Kick’ on wax. This is a situation we have chosen to remedy as the record strides toward its third decade, with a first-time vinyl pressing arriving on September 11th.