Defying expectations and boundaries, it’s an honour to have the elusive artist joining us for an in-depth interview and guest mix. We talk about his new residency, a career without touring, his love for Future (the rapper), NFTs and web3, and much more. As for the mix, it’s a downtempo trip sprinkled with unreleased from his side project feels nothing. Check both below.

Tell us about this mix. What’s the vibe that you wanted to create with this one?

HXV: Since we spent some time in lockdown from COVID (although to be fair GA didn’t really “participate” in COVID) but I’ve been listening to a lot of ambient music, especially while I’ve been painting in my art studio (something that I took back up needing another outlet besides music). The mix is reflective of these more introspective moments and I have some of my unreleased material in there as well.

Congrats on the new residency with DEF! How did the relationship and opportunity come about?

HXV: I’ve been a friend and supporter of Christie and Ross for awhile now. I’ve loved what they’re doing in atlanta and It’s been so in line with things I’ve done in the city over the years. They are smart and creative and are building their own thing. Anything I can do to help encourage that I will. They were actually at my art installation +CHAPEL+ at Art Basel back in 2013. It’s really cool to see these full circle moments happen. When I was considering what I wanted a live experience of HXV to be moving forward it was a no brainer because our visions are so aligned.

It gives me creative freedom to do what I want also because I’m not making something to go tour or get on a festival line up. I’m now existing outside of that entire system which is very liberating.

Along with the residency you announced your retirement from touring. What factors lead to this decision? Do you think there is a future for more artists, particularly in electronic music, to have successful careers without touring?

HXV: I haven’t toured anyway since like 2017 so it’s just something I haven’t been interested in. When I was thinking about what I wanted to do with HXV I’ve always wanted a controlled experience. You don’t get that when you’re touring, I was at the mercy of outlying factors like the logistics of the venue or opening acts or the branding of the event. I’ve always tried to curate experiences, so that was something that was important to me if I’m “parking” HXV as a brand in a space. The pandemic lockdown made me rethink possibilities of what shows can be in the future. I’ve always loved the idea of small, special shows and since my vision is so aligned with DEF it only made sense to partner with them. I’ll be doing quarterly events only in atlanta. If you want the experience you’ll need to travel – and we will be recording it like they do all their sets and the shows will live in perpetuity in the online space.

As for a future for artists not having to tour, sure. We are in a time where artists can reach more people online than in person by a far margin and you control the experience. There’s ways to monetize that experience so they can still make an income. For myself I don’t have to go tour so I have the freedom to be able to do something like play four shows a year and not worry about how I’m going to pay rent or put food on the table. It gives me creative freedom to do what I want also because I’m not making something to go tour or get on a festival line up. I’m now existing outside of that entire system which is very liberating.

You made your return to releasing music late last year with ‘Dance No More.’ Should we expect more music from you in 2022? If so, where is your sound heading?

HXV: I actually started that song back in 2015 and have reworked it countless times. I was just waiting for the right time to release it and it felt like the right time. I originally wrote it as a snarky techno anthem, a social comment about people not engaging at shows anymore or being too cool. Kind of like the techno version of VETEMENTS or what demna does with balenciaga – trolling fashion. Again the lens of the pandemic isolation filters everything and the song took on a new meaning to people not dancing anymore. As for my sound with HXV the only consistent I would say is everything is always dark and tries to not rehash versions of its previous self. I also have an all techno project called feels nothing and I produce rap music under zone6danny.

Your love for Future is well documented. What makes Future so special?

HXV: Future without exaggeration is probably my favorite artist in any genre lol. I don’t think any modern artist encapsulates the feeling of depression when achieving success and getting everything you want and realizing it’s not enough to fix you more than future. There’s a pain in his music and in his voice that’s so heavy. He is the modern day Otis Redding. You can’t listen to ‘Hardly’ and tell me Otis Redding wouldn’t have made that record. And ‘Codeine Crazy’ is one of the best rap songs ever recorded.

You seem to be really tapped into the Atlanta rap scene. Can you name a few artists we should be watching and why?

HXV: 21 Savage’s little brother 21 lil Harold has everything he needs to go. Kenny Mason is someone I was working with early on that I really believe in. I have a project with ManMan Savage that I feel is his best work to date. iivrson, Ken Carson, Real Recognize Rio, sofaygo. There’s a bunch – rap music is our main export.

Outside of your work in music you’re heavily involved in helping people struggling with addiction and mental health. The music industry has been strongly impacted by addiction and mental health issues. Do you have any thoughts on how we could better support and help artists going through these struggles?

HXV: I think labels need to provide mental health services for all artists at the very least. A lot of these kids especially in the rap world are coming out of extreme conditions. Suffering from PTSD, they aren’t used to navigating this new world they’ve found themselves in. Providing mental health services and encouraging growth and healing would do wonders for all involved, including save lives.

If you have web3 this is kind of like music3. I’m building an infrastructure that would be the blueprint for the future of the industry moving forward.

You recently became a managing partner at Soundbridge Logic. What does your role entail? What does Soundbridge Logic bring to the music industry that was missing?

HXV: As a managing partner it’s my role to help manage our fund so deciding what we invest in, where it fits into our overall vision, and what IP and tools we can cross collateralize into other companies in our portfolio. I source companies that I believe in and we begin talks in what they need in terms of funding to reach their goals. Soundbridge is only investing in music companies. And I’m focusing primarily on the intersection of music x tech. We are building an ecosystem of companies that are solving current and forthcoming problems in the music industry. Instead of a traditional label model this ecosystem acts more as a living organism where we facilitate services that are applicable for the content itself. I’ve co-founded another company called Series B with my partner Jason Pittman that will act more like a tech incubator model for these new companies some of which are pre-revenue as we look for new solutions to pervasive issues in the music industry. If you have web3 this is kind of like music3. I’m building an infrastructure that would be the blueprint for the future of the industry moving forward.

If you had unlimited resources to fix one problem in the music industry what would it be?

HXV: My resources aren’t unlimited but I have access to enough to try to do just that. And that’s what we are doing with Soundbridge Logic and Series B.  Solving everything from royalty payment systems, distribution platforms, artificial intelligent A+R, and looking to blockchain solutions for issues regarding song rights, licensing etc.

We are just scratching the surface of all of this and just starting the conversation. It’s an exciting time for technology where we are actually making big strides and major shifts as opposed to incremental progress on existing tech.

You’ve been known to stay ahead of the curve in the industry. What are your current thoughts on the NFT space and Web3 as it pertains to music? Are there any avenues that excite you?

HXV: Right in my wheelhouse of what I’m working on. I think NFTs as a utility can be pretty exciting. We are just scratching the surface of all of this and just starting the conversation. It’s an exciting time for technology where we are actually making big strides and major shifts as opposed to incremental progress on existing tech. Out of the NFT projects I’ve seen I am consistently impressed with Pak. I’m an artist and I gravitate towards other artists and he’s someone or someone’s that are pushing the boundaries of the medium (NFT’s) and reframing our concept of ownership. These types of things excite me because they expand our understandings and possibilities.

What’s the most recent book, film, or tv show that impacted you profoundly and why?

HXV: I recently watched Midnight Mass and I loved a lot of the themes in it. The writing in that show was brilliant. I also went back and rewatched Neon Genesis Evangelion and the films afterwards including the new ones and it’s just such an incredible work of art. The entire thing – there’s a reason why it’s considered one of the best animes of all time.

Any final words?

HXV: Just wanted to say I appreciate you guys for always showing me love and support over the years. I love this site and you always have good content and good contributors who show that they care and they actually dig and search for new music. It’s becoming more and more rare and the effort you put in doesn’t go unnoticed.

Tracklist:
feels nothing – everything and nothing
feels nothing – rave decay
feels nothing – can’t lose you
Introversion – Dystopia
SNTS – ES19
VII Circle – Unknown
Memorial Home – Second Floor

The post Guest Mix + Interview – HXV appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

This is my first HXV release in over three years. I’ve actually started on this song in 2015. Slowly working and reworking it I probably have over 30 versions just dialing in the balance, testing it at shows and going back in on it. Originally it was meant to just be a snarky comment about people not dancing at shows or tik tok culture. During the pandemic and subsequent shut down of night life though I felt like the song shifted and I saw it under a new lens. – HXV

Primed for underground events and gritty parties it’s fitting that the release comes along with the announcement of HXV’s new quarterly residency with DEF. The events + music + art + culture brand is quickly becoming one of the hottest new names in the scene with epic locations and even more impressive line-ups. Listen to ‘DANCE NO MORE’ below and look out for HXV at future DEF events.

The post HXV Returns With ‘DANCE NO MORE’ appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Daniel Pollard has been active in the music community since 2009. He first started making waves as HXV in 2012 after he caught the eye of Diplo. This quickly lead to his first official released mixtape titled We Off That  and a career in dark electronic music.

Descent in the second installment of his EP series following the first release, Separation. HXV describes this continuation into the depth of darkness as, “…everything here is dark, brooding, and occasionally violent. Part industrial, dark-wave, techno, tech house.”

Descent has three tracks (‘Hell Mouth’, ‘Try Me’, and ‘No Exit From Darkness’ ft. ESSEX) all of which seem at home for Halloween, but then again its always a good time for dark electro. HXV cultivates the best eerie energy on ‘Hell Mouth’, whose title gives me serious flashbacks to Joss Whedan’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It has a lot of energy and shoutouts to the darker elements of hardcore techno with its smokey, high hat tempo and stalking-panther emotions.

On ‘Try Me’ the rhythm picks up and so do the dark-wave and tech house frequencies. HXV whips up images of vampire, warehouse raves and demonic dance floors to tempt all our little dark hearts with. This is the sound that bridges the gaps between industrial, house, and trap; it’s as if HXV’s performance is a demonstration of how these genres have shared roots that can only be seen in the cover of darkness.

All three tracks smolder and brim with undulating rawness, but also feel relaxing- it’s like spa music for goths or an outlet for whatever rage has built up after spending all day in a cubicle.

Check it out below.

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The post HXV Drifts Further In The Darkness On ‘Descent’ EP appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Read their advice and put it into practice.

Andrew Luce

Why Should You Listen: Andrew Luce has been wowing fans online since he was fifteen. After making a name for himself off of remixes, he moved on to crafting stunning original work that includes his debut EP BLANC. As the Co-Founder of Daruma he’s helped put on a multitude of artists and is consistently working to help develop new talent.

Advice: “When you’re getting started, learn the technical and musical basics first. Put genres, cool artwork and branding, and everything else aside until you learn those skills, because those are things you have to learn, not talent you’re born with. When you have your basics in order, think about what’s unique about yourself that you can translate into your music. Always have a clear vision – if you don’t, stop everything you’re doing and figure it out. When you have it figured out, work towards that vision every single day. And save as much money as you can.”

Anna Lunoe

Why You Should Listen: Anna Lunoe is the queen of electronic music. She’s a Producer, Singer, DJ, Radio Host and Label Owner. She was the first solo female to ever play EDC Las Vegas’ main stage and continues to break down gender barriers in the dance music space. With two massive brands (her own and Hyperhouse) and over ten years of grinding, she’s proof that hard work pays.

Advice: “Invest in your creativity and owning your work. Each person’s situation is different so it’s tricky to give blanket rules here, but I wish I had realized that no one is going to come along and make my project happen… and if they do, it might be at a bigger cost than it’s worth! If you have a body of work you are proud of, and you are in a position to make it work within your own resources, it’s possible now. A catchy song can spread like wildfire, and even the songs with the biggest budgets can go nowhere if they don’t react, so it really comes down to focused creative work, timing, and a little bit of luck! At this point, doing music is only for people who would do it even if no one was listening, because there are no guarantees! Anything and nothing is possible at all times and I mean that in the most encouraging way.”

Chad Kenney

Why You Should Listen: Chad Kenney is the Events Producer behind Brownies & Lemonade. The company went from throwing house parties to becoming one of the most well-respected brands in the industry. From small art gallery shows to curating stages for biggest festivals in the world including Ultra, their drive to consistently debut new talent is what helped them to carve out an ever expanding niche. Expect to see their name on events around the world and even more festivals. He is also the Co-Founder of Shifty Rhythms and is currently working with Fool’s Gold as an A&R Consultant if that wasn’t enough.

Advice: “I would say that anyone starting out in any creative field should have a rough business model or frame of reference that they can use to establish some consistency in their work. When you are an artist of any kind, having some semblance of structure allows you to harness that creativity and executive ideas better. Whether it be a release schedule, a list of goals you hit every week, or anything of that nature, you should enable yourself to do something day-to-day that adds to the foundation of your career.”

Craze

Why You Should Listen: Multiple DMC World titles, Co-Founder of Slow Roast Records and 20 years in the game makes Craze the definition of an OG. As half of 2 Cents he recently flipped the game on its head calling names and deading all the bullshit. Raw skills and knack for always being ahead of the curve have made Craze a certified legend.

Advice: “New artists should invest time in becoming good at whatever it is they wanna be doing.”

HXV

Why You Should Listen: Aside from helping to birth the trap movement with artists like Mayhem, Flosstradamus and a few others, HXV is always looking to push boundaries. He’s been a mainstay in the Atlanta music scene for years and is constantly reinventing himself without ever drifting too far from his core. Whether it’s on Twitter or in interviews, few artists drop more gems than HXV.

Advice: “I think one of the best investments new artists can make in their careers is to spend time researching art and artists across all spectrums. All genres of music, all mediums, really study art that is universally considered great. I realize all art is subjective but look at the classics or things that have stood the test of time – not just what is popular at the moment. Pick it apart and study what’s good or what’s bad about it. Taking that time to sit with and learn and then going on the journey of discovering your own voice in your art allows you to be able to stand on the shoulders of those who came before you. The internet has given us such an opportunity to obtain information – use it.”

Jadu Dala Team

Why You Should Listen: Jadu Dala is the future of labels in electronic music. No label has been as consistently pushing the boundaries while providing quality releases (weekly) like Jadu Dala. They find new talent before anyone else in the industry and are always working to help artists expand.

Advice: “There are a lot of important things that artists should invest their time into, with that being said, one of the most important things is the people around you. You want to surround yourself with positive and uplifting people. Making the right connections from the start will pay off in the long haul.”

Mayhem

Why You Should Listen: Mayhem has over 20 years in the game. From his DnB days, to pioneering trap and working to help evolve the genre, Mayhem is simply the man. He’s also the head of Skrong, a fresh label and management group. Anyone who runs a label and displays this kind of longevity as an artist is rich with wisdom.

Advice: “I think all artists new and old should invest as much energy as possible into creating works of art that have purpose. Creating a dope record sonically is far too easy with Cymatics, Vengeance,
Nexus and the likes at our disposal. Crafting a record that is larger than life comes from designing an environment that the listener can submerge themselves in. Utilizing video and cover art to convey the concept you’ve crafted in audio will be worth it’s weight in gold as we move forward into the era of infinite. At the core of it all is a concept that binds the purpose of the record to its visual counterpart. Find your purpose, take your time, and drop content that matches the blood, sweat and tears we pour into our music.”

Nick Catchdubs

Why You Should Listen: Producer, DJ, Music Writer, and Co-Founder of Fool’s Gold Records, Nick Catchdubs isn’t just in the industry, he is the industry. Building one of the most highly regarded independent labels in music doesn’t happen by chance. He can also speak from more perspectives than pretty much anyone out there, combining his broad experience into one extremely well-informed viewpoint.

Advice: “The most important thing an artist should be investing in – at any stage of their career – is the art itself. It’s very tempting to measure yourself against others, to look at a studio pic and say ‘if I get this piece of gear, I’ll make music like so and so.’ But it’s not about the gear, it’s the ideas that go into it. (Steven Soderbergh has an Oscar and makes his movies with an iPhone now, you know?) Learn your existing setup inside and out. MAKE THINGS constantly…if you’re always learning, each track will be better than the last. Put the work first, and everything else will fall into place.”

TroyBoi

Why You Should Listen: TroyBoi is the embodiment of independent success while staying true to ones art. His music is unapologetically weird and genre-defying. With an incredible debut album under his belt that boasted a feature from Ice Cube and multiple solo headlining tours around the world, it’s hard to not look up to the London producer. While many artists sell out at their first chance, Troy continues to remain committed to the art and somehow still find massive success.

Advice: “New artists should definitely invest time in working and perfecting their craft. Quality is always better than quantity. If you believe in yourself, investing money into your vision is key. At the end of the day, if you pull off what you intended, the reward and further opportunities are priceless.”

Stööki Sound

Why You Should Listen: Stööki Sound are UK trap legends who also helped define the genre. With millions of plays online, multiple world tours and collaborations with some of the biggest artists in the game, their reputation is well-established. Stööki Sound’s is ever expanding, adding influences from grime, world and experimental bass music while retaining the core elements that fans love. They always know how to keep things fresh without ever bending to keep up with trends.

Advice: “Invest time into your mental health. People underestimate the importance of having a strong foundation to work from. Everything moves so fast nowadays that it’s easy to lose yourself.”

YehMe2

Why You Should Listen: YehMe2 went from a party-rocking local DJ in Chicago to becoming half of one of the most iconic duos in dance music with Flosstradamus. But his success didn’t happen overnight, it took years. He also opted to leave Flosstradamus at its peak to explore his own solo pursuits and regain full creative control. He started from nothing and won the race. Now he’s on a victory lap. All that said, he still remains a humble family man who consistently impresses with every release.

Advice: “Save your money. Set up a SEP IRA. Be patient. It’s a marathon not a sprint. Take calculated risks. When you fail, fail BIG. Learn from your failures…that’s where all the best lessons are.”

Willy Joy

Why You Should Listen: As a DJ and Producer he’s played around the world and dropped tracks on the hottest labels out including Fool’s Gold, Mad Decent, TWONK and more. Finding a gap in the dance music scene, Willy Joy recently launched his Back To Back podcast, the first long form talk podcast for the dance community. With guests like Diplo, Keys N Krates, NGHTMRE, and Destructo, Willy is soaking up game every week and is truly doing it for the culture.

Advice: “Learning the craft has to be treated like a full-time job, and you have to show up for work every day. I think one of the most valuable things a new artist can do for their career is to exercise patience, try something new every day, and make hundreds of songs that no one will ever hear. A large investment in time early on will pay off huge down the road.”

The post Investing In Your Future: Advice From Artists & Industry Experts appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The post HXV Explores A New Realm With ‘Neon Grave’ appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

For deeper insight into the project, HXV had the following to say on it, “This EP marks the first steps in a longer story I’m trying to tell. My goal is to define what HXV is and sounds like once and for all. I went back and pulled from my inspirations and been writing music that’s electronic in nature and rooted in trap elements but has textures of shoegaze, metal, and dark wave. This EP is about leaving what’s familiar and pushing off into the unknown, embracing the fear and the discomfort of trying new things. Those moments, those steps that you take into the unknown where you are finding yourself and where you fit into the world that’s the art. The music is the artifact, the ashes of the art itself. The art is the process. When all this is done and all the elements are out this will become the definitive guide for HXV.”

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Also If you’re in Toronto tonight, be sure to come through to our 3 Year Anniversary party.

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The post FUXWITHITFRIDAYS – Week 159 appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

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You were one of the artists at the forefront of blending rap and electronic music. Can you take us back to the time that “electronic trap” was forged?

The first inception of ‘EDM trap’ really came from me and Mayhem DJing at this place in East Atlanta called The Graveyard. I had started a night called, HEAVY that was blending and mixing early pre-Skrillex dubstep songs with Atlanta rap music and rap instrumentals. We would play only rap music until about 1am and then when everyone was amped up, we would go harder with dubstep and instrumentals weaved in and out. I also used to DJ at a few bottle service clubs and I would be playing electro house records but always wanted them to drop into 808’s and trap drums. So I started making edits and throwing trap drums on top of the drops so I could mix smoother between the electro tracks and the rap songs I was playing. We starting playing out our We Off That mixtape, in which we produced, for a good year before the mixtape was released in 2010. That was kind of the beginning of re-imagining these rap songs with electro/EDM elements but not taking it to Vegas, LA, or Paris EDM Banger style and making it straight beat.

How much has the genre changed over the years? Has it been for better or for worse?

It has changed so much. It’s fragmented into so many different directions.  You have the super minimal stuff from Stooki, Hucci, Gravez, Misogi, etc., to the hybrid trap sound that Mayhem really pioneered in my opinion.  He was making the heaviest trap records that were borderline dubstep, and I remember being like “man this is so heavy and hard it’s like dubstep all over again” and then the whole scene started shifting in that direction. Now without question I think the hybrid Trap sound is the most prevalent trap sound with Snailz, Bro Safari, Mayhem, NGHTMRE, HeroBust, etc.

I guess that’s how I stay innovative, by trying different things and failing a lot.

One of the things you stand for is innovation and taking risks. How do you continue to innovate year after year?

Just following my intuition really. As an artist, I want to constantly learn and expand my field of knowledge, and as a craftsmen, I want to hone my skills better. So along that path of searching, the art comes from it. I guess that’s how I stay innovative, by trying different things and failing a lot. With the intuition, I meditate and tap into something larger than myself, it’s like a stream of consciousness and the deeper I dive the richer the ideas. I connect enough of these ideas together or learn about one thing and then dig into it, archaeologically searching out its roots then taking that and applying it to whatever I’m working on.

You’ve explored a number of genres over the years from dubstep to rap, trap and techno. Has this exploration helped to shape yourself as an artist?

I learn and take things from each discipline, it’s like learning different martial arts and then using the tools at your disposal when best appropriate.  With ‘Novocaine’ it’s written like a pop song; it’s streamlined and taken down to its bare essentials, the way you would a techno record, but it’s obviously so not a techno record. Another record I have with 21 Savage and Madeaux sounds like a funeral but also very stripped down and minimal to its essential parts, with a good balance of authentic Atlanta Rap sound but for 2028.

For the first time, maybe ever, you can control your own destiny as an artist. There’s no gate keepers holding the doors anymore.

In a previous interview you said, “hopefully when all is said and done, and I have this body of work I’ve amassed over a lifetime, I’ll just be known as a creative person who made art for a living and encouraged and supported other creative.” What do you think of the current climate for artists? Is it a good time to be in the arts?

Personally, I think this is a great time to be an artist. For the first time, maybe ever, you can control your own destiny as an artist. There’s no gate keepers holding the doors anymore. You don’t need a big label with a huge PR budget behind you to make good music and get it out to people. Yeah, there’s a lot of noise out there now and a lot of competition, but you don’t even really need to compete if you think about the whole picture. All you need is to carve out your niche and feed your fan base content consistently. Do this over time and this is how you develop a brand. Not by having a logo or a gimmick, it’s about maintaining a relationship with your fans via good quality content over a period of time. It’s exceeding their expectations, that’s how you build a brand that will last with whatever wave or trend comes and goes and you will stand the test of time.

Atlanta has always been a hotbed for music and influence on the scene. Are there any sounds or artists that we should be looking out for?

On the EDM/trap tip; Mayhem is about to drop his album which is huge and a milestone for him in his career. The album has a ton of collabs and really forward thinking tracks on it, pushing the bar again for one of the originators of EDM trap. FVCKDIVMONDS is also killing it after relocating to Atlanta. On the rap front; I mean, we have so many people constantly recording and releasing music in Atlanta, the creativity can be overwhelming sometimes. Swag Hollywood is def one to watch for. As well as Yakki, Hoodrich Pablo Juan, and Lotto Savage is def the next from the Savage crew to blow.

I don’t have a problem with songs celebrating drug use, but it raises concern for me when every song by an artist becomes centered around it.

Drugs have been a central part of rap music for years. More recently the focus has shifted from selling drugs to their use, with substances like Xanax, Lean and MDMA taking the spotlight. How do you feel about the celebratory nature of drug use in music?

I have also noticed that the narrative of Rap music has shifted from selling drugs as a means to now glorifying drug use. I don’t have a problem with songs celebrating drug use, but it raises concern for me when every song by an artist becomes centered around it. And from my standpoint as an artist, I want to hear diverse music from everyone. Drug addiction really does stifle creativity because your world becomes so small and insular.

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Your latest single ‘Novocaine’ centres around your battle with addiction. Was it difficult to put something so deeply personal into a record?

Yes and no. The process of making the song was easy but getting there was fucking hard. I have hit a number of bottoms in my life, some in addiction and some while in sobriety,  ‘Novocaine’ came from hitting bottom again, and the awareness and respect I developed for the disease from that. With that newfound understanding, I tried to communicate it as best as we could through the song. By personifying it and giving it a voice (literally) with Naz.

Has your approach to music changed since you’ve been clean?

Absolutely. My approach is way more focused and organized. Just my entire life is exponentially better being sober so my creative process is better as well. My understanding of creativity has evolved throughout. I used to think it was something fleeting and temperamental (probably because I was for so long) but now I see creativity as a muscle that can be trained by constantly showing up. Even when it’s not “flowing,” you condition yourself to sit there and make incremental steps of progress every day. This builds momentum, and that momentum leads to breakthroughs and more songs being finished. Being sober allows me that capacity. Also, practicing self care and doing what I need to do to be the best version of myself I can be creates that discipline that then carries into all other facets of my life.

I don’t start out each day thinking “I’m never going to pick up again,” I start out each day being grateful for being sober and alive today…

Do you have any advice for those battling with addiction?

You aren’t alone, others have come before you and others will come after you. The most important thing is to be ready to quit and really do it. And when you are ready, surround yourself with people who have been through what you have and who have what you want. Learn from them and lean into them for support and take it one day at a time. I don’t start out each day thinking “I’m never going to pick up again,” I start out each day being grateful for being sober and alive today and to please get me through until tomorrow, and I do my part and do what I can to make sure that happens.

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I read that you’ve become really interested in reading. What’s the most important book you’ve read and why?

I can’t narrow that down to one title but I’ve read some really incredible things over the last few years. One of the most important books in my life is The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. I’ve probably read that book front to back a few times as I’ve gone through the 12 steps. Each time, pulling more and more knowledge from it. It was really eye opening to learn the drugs and alcohol wasn’t the problem, but that it was me that’s the problem, and the program and the steps give you the tools to navigate that and the relationships in your life. There isn’t a day that passes that I don’t use at least one of the 12 steps. I really think everyone should read it and do the steps if you are an addict or not. Doing things like, taking an inventory of yourself, really forces you to be honest with yourself and look at your patterns of behavior. It’s putting all the shit you want to hide about yourself under a microscope.

Another one is, Awareness by Anthony DeMelo. If The Power of Now and Eckhart Tolle books are a “wake up call” then Awareness is a shotgun blast of reality to the face. Never have I heard such raw truth delivered so honestly. I read it while on tour in Europe a few years ago and it was such an extreme jolt to my system. You have to be ready to read this but it’s life changing when you are ready for it.

The third is, The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharpe. I have recommended this book to a few of my headlining world touring DJ/Producer peers and they have all come back to me blown away. This book just nails the creative process and offers insights on digging deeper into your own process and pulling out the best work out of you. No matter what field or medium you are in, this is def worth the read.

And lastly, Trust Me I’m Lying Confessions of a Media Manipulator by Ryan Holiday. I loved this book because it breaks down how our media is manipulated and fed to us. Understanding that this is how our world works now and you can never look at blogs or anything we read the same way again.

Over the next few months, I will be releasing more music than I ever have before. I spent this last year writing music and really digging into my creative process searching for my balance.

Where is the HXV project going?

That’s a good question (lol). Honestly, much more focused. More focused than ever before. In the past, I think HXV has been this vague concept that has had output along different genres and different sounds, but now moving forward everything is going to be much more focused and more intentional. Over the next few months, I will be releasing more music than I ever have before. I spent this last year writing music and really digging into my creative process searching for my balance.

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