Exhausted Modern is the discomforting and thought-provoking alias of Ladislav Zensor, a Czech musician, DJ, head of the Endless Illusion label and resident of Planeta Za.

He has released pieces on labels such as brokntoys, Veyl, and Rotterdam Electronix, and has appeared on numerous compilations, including Power Station’s recent ‘Currents II’ and Syntetyk’s ‘House of Troubles’.

As his moniker suggests, Ladislav is mostly interested in dystopic sonic constructions that rely heavily on analogue technology, industrial feel, and rawness of character. In his musical narratives Exhausted Modern observes and abstracts the fata morganas of our civilisation, dissolving them into his musical compositions. These owe their influence to all nonconformist genres developed with electronic means, whether it be 80’s Detroit or Holland’s later West Coast scene.

His high productivity culminated in 2020 with his first full-length album released on Endless Illusion. ‘The Year of the Rat’ uses metaphors from the Chinese zodiac calendar to amplify comments on broken societal mechanics, capitalistic hierarchies, and the frustrations of its victims – the people. Despite Exhausted Modern’s dystopian sound, one which ranges from fast melancholia to simmering rage on the LP, there are hints of a brighter future scattered in EM’s musical output or his artistic presence.

His label Endless Illusion is an internationally acclaimed imprint which he founded back in 2011. It became a platform for event promotion and music publishing, connecting the Czech scene to the wider world by releasing music from like-minded freaks. With an ever-lasting need to dig deeper, the label has released several records of local electronic music pioneers under the Jupiter 08 sub-series, and Ladislav’s curation of the Endless Illusion mix series brings monthly guest appearances from unsung creators around the world.