PSYCHED UP CYBER PUNK SYNTHWAVE FROM THE BADLANDS OF DETROIT VIA THE DANCEFLOOR> LAXRAX IS ON A ROLL...LET'S ROLL WITH HIM...
Laxrax is a Detroit-based dance music producer cutting distinct (and yet retro) vibe on the dance-floor. His synth-scapes could easily belong in cyber-punk sci-fi movies like Bladerunner or Alien, but translate easily to the rave. We caught up with him recently to find out what makes him tick…
A listener might describe your sound as cyber-punk, synth squelching 80’s retro (we don’t mean that in a bad way!), but how would you describe it?
I would describe my music as modern yet nostalgic. It’s got modern production, but somehow sounds and feels familiar.
Why dance music?
Producing dance music wasn’t what I thought about when I began the Laxrax project, I was thinking much more of a Synthwave style, but it quickly and organically shifted to the retro pop sound I have now. But, I did grow up in the 80’s, and dancing was a big part of life, I mean, how could you not dance with all that great music. So maybe subconsciously it was going to lead there all along.
Detroit is known as the ‘rock city’ spewing out legends like Alice Cooper, Bob Segar, the White Stripes et al, ever been tempted to pick up a guitar?
Fun fact, I’m a big metal head and I own a guitar rig, although it’s been quite some years since I’ve played. Rock music has been a big part of my life since the late 90’s, and the bands you mentioned are some of the greats. I kind of change lanes when it comes to music, so I’ve gone from listening to Hip Hop, to rock and then metal, to dubstep, and now retro pop. Music is a big part of my life.
What influence do you think Detroit has on your creations?
Detroit is a blue collar city and I was raised in a blue collar family. I was always taught that you have to earn it, whatever it is. Detroit definitely influenced that mindset.
Who were your early influences and who would you describe as your contemporaries now?
Big influences to me as a kid were Prince, and Latin freestyle artists like Stevie B. My major influence now would have to be The Midnight, such a great synthwave band.
With your sound we’d be intrigued to find out what’s in your studio?
I’m still relatively new to producing, so my studio is very basic right now. I use a desktop pc and Ableton Live to produce, along with an Arturia Mini Lab 3 midi controller. I use the Serum softsynth to sound design, and mix with a set of Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 OHM headphones. I don’t have a proper studio space with monitors yet, but that’s in the plans.
How much a part does technology play in your creations?
I produce all my songs with Ableton and Serum, along with my midi controller, so I’d say I rely heavily on technology. I don’t own an analog synth, but I plan to add some guitar work to my songs soon.
Your tracks could definitely fit into the ‘sexy’ category. Does sex still sell?
Sex will always sell, it’s one of the most efficient way to sell a product.
The Laxrax project is pretty new, what were you doing before this?
The Laxrax project began in January of 2023, and the last time I made music before this was way back in 2001 when I tinkered around with MTV Music Generator for a month, and then again a few years later when I dabbled guitar. So it’s been about 18 years since I did anything musically.
How’s the album shaping up?
The album is going great! I have 3 tracks done, and a 4th is almost done. Sonically, I’m trying to have each song sound cohesive as a group, but still stand on their own. This is a new challenge, but it’s a welcomed challenge.
What do you hope listeners will take from it?
My ultimate goal is to take the listener out of everyday life, and take them somewhere else for 4 minutes, where they go is up to them. I just want to make their bad day a little brighter, or make their good day great.
Do you feel that AI will eventually destroy music as we know it or will the ‘human spirit’ endure? Is it something we should simply embrace?
AI is here to stay I think, but I don’t think it will replace the human element in music. Ideas and emotions spark some of the greatest artistic decisions, and I don’t think AI can do that. I do think we should embrace AI to be used as another tool, but not to outright make the music for us, where’s the fun in that?
Where do you stand on the Sportify debate. Should all musicians run away from it and find something that actually pays money for their work?
I’m a little split on the subject. While I agree that artists and producers should be paid fairly, I also think it’s wise to get your music to as many people as possible, and unfortunately, Spotify is one of the best ways to do that. We may not make much from streams, but it could lead to real fans that want to support us in other ways.
If you could possess one person (alive or dead) for the day, who would it be and what would you do with the power?
It would definitely have to be Prince, he was doing things that no one else was doing. Just one day with a mind of his ideas and musical talent would be unbelievable.
If you were a book, what would it be called?
My musical tastes have changed a lot over the years. I like to move with the music. So my book title would be, Frequency Shift: A Music Lover’s Transformation.
Any plans to tour your work?
There are no plans to tour right now, I’m more of a behind the scenes kind of guy. But, touring isn’t out of the question in the future if the circumstances were right.
Your music could easily provide a score for a movie, any plans to explore this? (If so, who would you like to work with? What genre of movie?)
Actually, I’m signed with Australian music label Triptych Music for sync placements. I’d love to have my music in a movie or video game!
I’d love to work with Ridley Scott on a new dystopian cyberpunk film.
What can we expect from you during the rest of the year?
I should be finishing up with the album by November, and I plan to do a few remixes of some of my older songs, as well as posting deep dives into some of my productions on YouTube. Exciting times ahead!