Photo: Jakob Esterbauer
After cementing himself with a flurry of bold and blistering cuts these last few years, Austrian artist and producer Xander Moon kicks off his 2023 with the electrifying new single '1705 Hz'.
Lifted from his newly unveiled debut album 'Hallucinations I', which is available to stream now, '1705 Hz' makes for a brilliantly inventive listen. With his raw and driven flow riding across an atmospheric production from start to finish, he is continuing his rise as one of the more passionate names on the rise right now.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and influences over the years.
What was the first band or artist you fell in love with?
Well, for a very long time I never listened to music like everyone else did. I didn't have Spotify until I was 17 years old, so I used to go on YouTube and listen to whatever music pops up in my feed. If I had to choose one band then it has to be Maroon 5. I can still see myself sitting in front of the PC, watching the Payphone music video. I was very young at that time, but I remember going crazy when that song came out.
Did you ever form a band when you were younger and if so, what did they sound like?
Yes I did. I always wanted to form a band with my peers. When I was 11 years old, I wanted to make music with a few ambitious classmates, but that didn't last very long to be honest. I guess we were too young. When I turned 18 I had two bands for a few months. I always wanted to push forward with music, but the other musicians weren't as focused as me, so that didn't work out as well. Our sound at that time was very different. With the first band I made funk and jazz music and with the other I wanted to go for a more electronic sound. I was inspired by a lot of music at that time, but I didn't really know where I wanted to go myself.
What has been your primary inspiration in writing music?
It has always been my mother. She raised me and let me take piano and french horn classes. She introduced me to music. Because of her I got to play in many orchestras and concerts and gained a lot of experience on stage. She is a classical singer and music teacher herself, so that always inspired me to do my own thing in music.
What is a song you wish you had written yourself?
This one is very hard to answer, since there are many great songs. If I had to pick one I would say “We All Try” by Frank Ocean. Future Nostalgia was just such a breath of fresh air and even when I discovered this mixtape, it was still very much an inspiration for me. It really showcases “Songwriting” too in my opinion, since most of the instrumentals have been already produced by another band.
If there was any moment in your career you could relive, what would it be?
Well if I am being honest; There is no “career” yet haha. I am just starting out as an artist, trying to build a career. Fingers crossed.
Which artist would you most love to share a stage with?
There are many great artists who I am a fan of and who inspire me every day. Frank Ocean obviously, but I also love A$AP Rocky, Joji, The Weeknd, Kevin Abstract, Tyler The Creator, Merlin, etc.. Only to name a few. As I mentioned before. I am still at the start of my career and I didn´t release enough to be able to work with big artists. The one thing I am focused on the most at the moment is not to dream about who I want to work with, but to release a catalogue of music and build a fanbase and then go from there.
And is there an artist you would love to collaborate with as well?
Again. There are many artists I want to collaborate and work with. I can probably learn a lot from most of them as well. I think it is all about releasing music first and connecting with other people and then seeing where life goes. If I had to think of one “dream collaboration”, I would really love to work with Merlin (BROCKHAMPTON). His energy is so crazy and I know it will probably never happen, but that's definitely a dream of mine.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Hopefully in a position where I can inspire other people. I think that's the best an artist can do. Leaving something behind (body of work, legacy, songs), that other people can relate to and get inspired by. I often refuse to plan a lot, because it might be easier to let things happen. That's why I don't really know where I will be in five years. I just go day-by-day and try to be as productive as I can.
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Xander Moon's new single '1705 Hz' is available to stream now. Check it out below.