the "source" of the instruments less identifiable, "adding a 21st-century digital-versus-acoustic complexity to the mix," writer Chal Raven stated. The music is led by aliens trying to speak a hybrid of several languages but end up speaking a "non-language" as a result. Doran stated the speeches were meant to be a commentary on inaccurate translations that most translation applications makes. The speeches are the most commonplace on Lex's first four tracks, which Raven labeled as more "fragmented, unsettled, and inscrutable" than Reassemblage. The record becomes almost entirely ambient by the title track, however, with only bits of the alien voices before completing disappearing on its 14-minute closer "World." Returning to the "dreamy" tones of Reassemblage, "World" is a "fixed" version of a "generative composition" that Doran made for an installation he worked on with artist Brenna Murphy; that's according to the press release, though it didn't specify which installation. While the original version of the composition consists of erratic MIDI notes and uses of low-frequency oscillation, the version that appears on Lex is about "a more conclusive view" of the "deepening, patient intimations" the future world of Lex will likely bring. Resident Advisor described "World" as more "immersive" than the album's more "blur"ry previous tracks: "Watery sounds slosh around, airy tones drift at the periphery and chords ripple outwards." Release and reception On October 12, 2017, the company Kabinett released Permutate Lex on its website. RVNG Intl. released the album Lex on digital and vinyl formats on December 8, 2017, a release date for the album's Japan-only CD release yet to be announced. The album was critically well-received upon its distribution. As Raven wrote in his review for Pitchfork, "though less memorable than its predecessor, Lex succeeds when it is heard as intended: as a conceptual companion to Reassemblage’s opaque experimentation." The 405 praised the album as "well-mannered, fun experimentalism with a winning spirit," and "if it doesn't break any tonal boundaries, it firmly establishes its composers' place at least in sight of the bleeding edge. And it opens the door to all manner of discoveries." The Skinny stated it was successful in presenting its concept, reasoning that it sounds "consistently otherworldly, but still retain[s] enough humanity to make it effective." Track listing Derived from the RVNG Intl. website. Personnel Derived from the liner notes of Lex. Written, recorded, and produced by Ryan Carlile and Spencer Doran Mixed by Doran