Frequent collaborators mxxnwatchers and Weir continue their electric 2020 run with the release of their new downtempo experimental bass track “Kohaku” and an immersive DJ set at the foot of Mt Elbert, Aspen.
mxxnwatchers: We originally met at a Nobide show and got connected through Nick Vann in 2018, a few months went by and I think he came over to my house..?
Weir: Yeah I originally hit him up for cover art on some new music I was working on. We met up, shared some tunes and started messing around on Ableton. Shortly after we wrote our first tune “Sneak”, which is off our recent Selva EP. We’ve been making tunes together ever since.
mxxnwatchers: One of us typically comes up with an idea, just a basic melody loop, sample, or field recordings; we share the idea and if we’re feeling it, we both hop in the studio together to start arranging and building out the track. There’s typically a moment in each track where we’re both like “oh yeah dude, THIS”. We’ve just learned how to work together better and better over time and how to incorporate it into our sets.
Weir: As far as anything I’ve learned, I think it’s key to work with other artists who have similar tastes. I think that’s crucial to efficient workflow and decision making, rather than getting caught up on every individual move. We like a lot of the same style tunes and DJ together quite frequently, and I think that helps our process a lot.
mxxnwatchers: I get inspired by a lot of slow house and downtempo from artists like Zuma Dionys, Lorie, Trippin Jaguar, Arutani, and even faster stuff like Mark Allow and Hraach. Also local Colorado peeps such as Desert Dwellers.
Weir: Yeah beyond electronic we both grew up listening to a lot of reggae which I think really plays into our interest in slower, groovier tracks. We also listen to a lot of darker, faster techno that definitely plays a role in our influence when it comes to sound design and overall vibe.
mxxnwatchers: It was a little spontaneous and ambitious; we kinda rolled in with a general idea but no execution plan. We had a generator and our sound system so we had to find a spot far enough from others to be mindful of sound. Ended up with some real cold evenings but still made it happen.
Weir: Yeah, we knew it was gonna be cold, but not THAT cold. The morning after our set, we woke up to find our cars and tent covered in frost and all of our water frozen solid. Still worth it.
Weir: Last spring we started messing around with “The One” VST by FabFilter for creating bass sounds. Shortly after writing our track “Virus”, I started putting together a drum loop with some atmospheric sounds and jotted down that central bass line. I showed it to mxxnwatchers and we wrote practically the entire rest of the track that day.
mxxnwatchers: Kohaku is the culmination of our collaborative process so far. Definitely both of our personal favorites when it comes to our own original music. I think we’ve touched on something that will be shaping the new tracks we’re putting out together.
mxxnwatchers: I’ve got a few more tracks in the works, always just bouncing ideas and collaborating even if it’s not something we’re gonna release together. We’ve been toying with the idea of starting a duo, but that’s a discussion for another time… I’ve got another single coming out on October 23rd called “lonely night” - more of an uptempo vibe. Really just been going more of my sound and making music when I can.
Weir: This past year, I released 9 tracks, the most music I have ever released in 1 year. Now with all of that in the books, I’m setting time aside to pull back from all of the marketing and releases to just focus on my sound. I’m planning for a huge 2021 with loads of new music and other big video projects that I can’t wait to share.
