Meet XANAX: A DJ / Music Producer from South Korea. And that’s about all the information you can find in his bio’s on Instagram and SoundCloud. Well there is one other fact mentioned, that he is a member of Team Fantasize. Time to take some medicine.
My kind of Music, with XANAX.
Everything Will BE OKAY, Just Breathe in the ATMOSPHERE.
When his remix ‘Be Okay’, dropped the 7th of October, on TJMC, I just had to find out who this XANAX was. When I posted my joy about the release, he actually thanked me for it, really cute. I watched him gaining followers by the day on Instagram (at the time of writing he is closing in on 1000), which is always nice. It means people are taking notice of his music. Click the below pics 😉
One thing seems to become clear pretty quickly, DJ-ing was his first love, but Producing is his next and he is just starting out. I first tracked ‘Team Fantasize’ on SoundCloud. The 27th of August XANAX posted this project from the team, check it out:
Another remix XANAX posted about on IG, sounded really familiar to me. And when scrolling down Team Fantasize’s playlist, I remembered: I already added this track, while working on Spotlight on Akara, almost 2 months ago. This time it wasn’t me, if it’d said XANAX Remix instead of Fantasize Remix, I actually might have recognized it 😂
But since I was really looking for more XANAX, I went ahead and just asked him. XANAX comes across as a very nice and humble young man. And while sending me the link to his SoundCloud, he also started explaining that there wasn’t yet very much on his name. Well, that didn’t stop me from listening and getting excited about his music. It’s funny that the next track that caught my attention was a Christmas remix, but hey… Time’s flying!
XANAX created a couple of very relaxing instrumentals. Easy listening piano music, for any time of the day, but I could just imagine they would do very well at the end of another hectic one. Whenever you need to clear your mind, XANAX would definitely do the trick.
Displaying his skill on the piano / keyboard, you’ll be getting in a really relaxed mood and the melodies are quite refreshing. Even someone like me, who would mostly listens to up-tempo songs, can really enjoy this. And since I’ve been wondering lately, what to listen to when not in an ‘up-tempo mood’, I’ve found my answer.
If you wish to listen to some of his work as a DJ, you can enjoy his mixsets. The earliest date from about 6 years ago and (I guess) the first one seems to hover somewhere between Dance / House.
The next couple of mixes are a little different, Disco seems to rule here. Kind of up my alley, very danceable. What they all have in common, is that the remixes all have very smooth transitions. Definitely a DJ I would go out to party with.
Another, more recent mixset, has become one of my personal favs. Not gonna lie, it’s a pretty tough call, might be just the choice of tracks used.
More recently, XANAX posted Inst. 1 Not sure if these short instrumental tracks are merely try-outs, but even if they are, they sound great. I wouldn’t be surprised if they eventually would grow out to something really amazing. this one’s kinda groovy.
An original by XANAX was dropped only 5 months ago. In my ears a definite Dance track, with great lyrics and beautiful vocals. Starting and ending with some disco violins and some percussion added in the middle and just the right beat.
It’s kind of hard to label XANAX’s music, not that I’m into labels anyways. But it’s clear he’s still discovering and evolving. Which makes it interesting for the listener and will keep us wondering what his next track will sound like. This can clearly be heard in another original (a collab), released at the end of February this year, on his own YouTube channel.
Time to let XANAX speak and listen to what he has to say about his music. But first I want to say, Big Thank You, XANAX! I think it’s awesome how humble you present your music and I do believe there’s so much more awaiting you in the future! I wish you all the blessings and fun in doing what you love! I will add you to the Spotlight page and every new project I will update there.
Let’s start with the obvious: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us, who is XANAX? When and how did you get started in the music business and which instruments do you play?
‘I am Min Gyeong-jun (XANAX) living in Korea. XANAX is a medical product called a tranquilizer, and like this medicine, we use this name with the desire to make people feel comfortable by listening to music.
‘I started as a club DJ since 2011, and the instrument I can handle is the piano. I didn’t major in piano, so I can look at the score and play.
Among the officially released music sources, there are two songs: XANAX-Ushas, M CHIC, XANAX-Trumpesta (Original Mix). Other remixes are sound sources released through remix contests. I am not aiming to generate revenue, and if I feel comfortable listening to my few songs, it is also infinite thanks. Because profit is not necessarily monetary’.
Please tell us about your first project and how would you describe your music?
‘The first project started with the goal of giving names by legitimately remixing music already on the market. There is no answer to music, and when people listen to it, their ears are relaxed and their minds are relaxed, and there is no better music than that if there is music that suits each situation.
There are no stereotypes, and the instruments and sound sources used also do not have stereotypes. This genre is not friendly to people with strange stereotypes saying that you have to use these sounds or instruments unconditionally’.
When I wasn’t sure if I understood him correctly and asked him if he could elaborate, he added this:
‘I’m talking about a genre, and listening to music and talking about a music source! For example, I don’t understand people with stereotypes, that sources used for EDM should be used only in EDM unconditionally! When making house music, you can also use the instruments used in the orchestra!
If you like to make and listen to music by combining all the great instruments, wouldn’t that be music? I still have a lot of flaws in making music. So, with the idea of learning, I want to touch all music and cover all genres’.
Well, that makes total sense right? Since he’s the one creating it, he can use any source he likes. And to be clear, he also added:
‘However, if the finished music sounds like a weird or inconsistent outfit, I don’t think it’s right!’
Where do you get your inspiration from and what motivates you to keep going? How hard is it for you to become visible to the rest of the world?
‘I tend to be inspired by the landscape or atmosphere. Watching the sky at dawn or as the sun goes down, I think about the melody or music that fits this situation and work with that inspiration. Or, lying alone in a lighted room, rushing to the desk with emotional thoughts and creating a melody.
Listening to the songs of artists who create comfortable music such as Oliver Nelson and FKJ, who are well known in the world, motivates me. I want to be like them! I am still lacking and there are not many music creations yet, so it is natural that people in the world do not know me. I think that if you create one or two songs and remix them, awareness will naturally follow’.
Can you tell us about Team Fantasize? Who are they and how did you become a part of them?
‘It is a team of 7 DJs/Producers including me and 1 VJ. Their own music and the music they play. They have great infrastructure and knowledge, I always listen to them and learn a lot about music.
I can’t tell you in detail one by one, but each one is an influential DJ / Producer in Korea, and I enjoy being with them. They and I are far apart, but when I meet and talk with them, I remember old memories and I feel how much they think of me.
Also, I am so grateful to them in every way! The Atmosphere remix didn’t remix if it wasn’t with them. Rather than my own personal remix, I made it a Fantasize remix because it’s a remix we all created together!’
What do you think, has been your biggest accomplishment so far and why is that?
‘It is a great achievement to have made my name and my team known globally so far, it is difficult to make money through this music. First of all, I think it is the most important to spread the name, so I tend to do various remixes or work that is exposed a lot to people’.
Can you tell us a bit about your dreams and vision for the future, what do you hope to achieve with your music? Are there any artists you would love to collab with?
‘My big goal is to become a professional producer in the future, and my ultimate goal is to let people around the world know that there is such good music in my country and my name. Then I believe that profit generation will follow. However, it doesn’t mean much, generating revenue. The biggest reward for us is just for people to listen to our music!
It’s a very distant point, but I want to work with artists like FKJ and Oliver Nelson who are really good at playing instruments, and I want to learn a lot from them’.
This year has been pretty weird for most of us and will most likely stay that way. How did covid affect you and your music production?
‘Many clubs have been closed due to coronavirus, making jobs unsafe. I’m working in another job and I’m not very affected. I am not a DJ now, and I am working as a general office worker. I use my spare time to produce at home’.
‘And finally, thank you for your interest.
In the future, I will try to make better music and come to you!’
Again, Thank you XANAX! Keep an eye out you readers and please find and follow him on SoundCloud – YouTube – Instagram – Facebook
Have fun discovering ❤
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