Hexed!
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| Hexed! | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 28 March 2025 | |||
| Genre | Electronic[1] | |||
| Length | 33:59 | |||
| Label | Hyperdub | |||
| Aya chronology | ||||
| ||||
Hexed! is the second studio album by English musician Aya Sinclair under the mononym Aya. It was released on 28 March 2025 through Hyperdub. It received universal acclaim from critics.[2]
Aya Sinclair is an English musician from Huddersfield.[3] Hexed! is her second studio album as Aya, following Im Hole (2021).[4] It is her first record since the Lip Flip EP (2024).[5] The album is mixed by James Ginzburg and mastered by Joker.[6] It was released on 28 March 2025 through Hyperdub.[7]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 91/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Paste | 8.5/10[8] |
| Pitchfork | 9.0/10[9] |
| The Skinny |   [10] |
| Spectrum Culture | 85%[11] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Hexed! received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 91 out of 100 from 5 critic scores.[2]
Claire Biddles of The Quietus commented that the album "reveals Aya as a master of sound design, functioning as both a storytelling tool and as a descriptor of emotion."[12] Olivia Cheves of DJ Mag described the album as "an unflinching account of addiction delivered via a heady concoction of excoriating dub metal, hyper hardcore and sharp-tongued speeches."[13]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clash | Albums of the Year 2025 | 28 |
|
| Crack | The Top 50 Albums of 2025 | 18 |
|
| DJ Mag | DJ Mag's Top Albums of 2025 | — |
|
| The Guardian | The 50 Best Albums of 2025 | 20 |
|
| Paste | The 50 Best Albums of 2025 | 12 |
|
| Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2025 | 22 |
|
| The Quietus | The Quietus Albums of the Year 2025 | 1 |
|
| Slant Magazine | The 50 Best Albums of 2025 | 47 |
|
| Stereogum | The 50 Best Albums of 2025 | 25 |
|
| The Wire | Releases of the Year (2025 Rewind) | 1 |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Am the Pipe I Hit Myself With" | 2:25 |
| 2. | "Off to the ESSO" | 3:29 |
| 3. | "The Names of Faggot Chav Boys" | 2:30 |
| 4. | "Heat Death" | 3:51 |
| 5. | "Peach" | 3:27 |
| 6. | "Hexed!" | 4:26 |
| 7. | "Droplets" | 3:44 |
| 8. | "Navel Gazer" | 3:05 |
| 9. | "The Petard Is My Hoister" | 3:35 |
| 10. | "Time at the Bar" | 3:21 |
| Total length: | 33:59 | |
Personnel
Charts
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[25] | 46 |