"The name Etran de L’Aïr translates to “the Stars of the Aïr,” the mountainous region of Northern Niger."
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ETHEREAL.PRESS
Tell us about Vitesse X.
VITESSE X
I make ethereal electronic music, DJ, and co-own the electronic-alternative label, Music Website ☺︎.
ETHEREAL.PRESS
Much of your visual design falls under an iridescent colour scheme that strongly emphasizes purples.
Why do you choose to represent yourself this way?
VITESSE X
The color scheme never really started off as a conscious decision, but my eye does seem to naturally gravitate towards purples. For me, purple is simultaneously warm and cool, which is similar to my sound I would say. And I think the iridescence conveys a futuristic quality that manifests throughout my work.
I actually plan on shifting the palette as I approach my next record into something warmer and more fiery, with a less smooth and more textured feel. I think this will make sense when people hear the songs.
ETHEREAL.PRESS
Can you talk to us about your most recent single, 'Right Now.'
VITESSE X
Last summer, I gave myself the challenge of writing the most honest song I could write both sonically and lyrically. I had just bought my Oberheim OB-6 synth and wanted to really get out of the box, playing around with rugged textures and lush pads. I also wanted to tap back into my shoegaze/ dream pop roots, incorporating more guitar than I typically have.
I decided to choose a setting in my mind and make a song that would serve to soundtrack the moment. I took myself back to a time where I was on top of a mountain watching the sunrise, momentarily free from the distractions of the modern world, and from there this song emerged. The song is about my personal addiction to the race, calling upon both myself and the listener to go back to the present, to live for now.
ETHEREAL.PRESS
Talk to us a bit about your debut album that dropped titled, 'Us Ephemeral.'
VITESSE X
I started this album back in 2020, before ‘Vitesse X’ had even become a thing. The first song I wrote when the lockdown hit was the title track. It was written in a fairly stream-of-consciousness state, just reflecting on my life and the fleeting nature of all of our experiences. It’s a call to embrace the present moment, to take charge and live life on your own terms, and it holds a fair amount of anti-capitalist sentiments.
I don’t see this album as a concept album by any means. My main objective at the time was to just make a record, nothing more nothing less. It was a means for me to navigate new sounds and genres, a process of exploration into what has become, more definitively, the Vitesse X sound. When I listen to the album now, I feel like I’m reading old journal entries.
Each song holds a time and place for me that was formative for me as an artist.
ETHEREAL.PRESS
One thing that immediately stuck out about your music was the ephemeral state & sense of world-building within the tracks.
Does introspection play a vital role in the creation of your works?
VITESSE X
I was a really shy kid growing up so I spent a large chunk of my life acting as an observer and self-analyst. I’ve been able to overcome a lot of that shyness as an adult, but that introspective nature is still a huge part of who I am.
A lot of the music I listen to acts as a soundtrack to those states of wonder and reflection, and naturally that comes out in the music I write as well.
ETHEREAL.PRESS
Genres can often be misleading, especially given how diverse a piece of music can be.
With that said, How can 'electronic dance music' give the audience a different experience than any other genre?
VITESSE X
Electronic dance music is such an overarching umbrella term, it’s hard to even say what that means. I know as a musician, I started gravitating to electronic music over rock music just because the opportunity for creating something new seemed far more possible.
There’s so much room for sonic innovation in electronic dance music and I think that’s what keeps it constantly fresh and exciting for the general audience.
ETHEREAL.PRESS
Subtle themes of the occult are scattered throughout your discography.
Does spirituality play a prominent role in your releases?
VITESSE X
This is a pretty pertinent question as I start wrapping up my next record, which delves heavy into my personal spiritual journey.
Music has always been a transcendent experience for me.
I’ve always wanted to make my own music purposeful in luring the listener either further into themselves or conversely, further beyond themselves. You’ll hear a lot of spoken samples that almost serve as mantras or guided meditations of sorts in my music for that reason.
I just want my music to be a catalyst for positive self-exploration in some way, a single step closer to a more conscious world.
ETHEREAL.PRESS
Can you give some advice to other creatives?
VITESSE X
You are the vessel. Consistency is key. Keep going. Stay humble. Find a supportive community, or if you can't find one, make one. Take your vitamins and eat your greens.
ETHEREAL.PRESS
What's next for Vitesse X?
VITESSE X
I’ve mentioned it a few times here, but I have a new album in the works that I hope to have finished by the end of the year. Also have a couple exciting collabs on the horizon.
When I’m not working on my music, I’m extremely busy with my new label, Music Website ☺︎. My partner, Chris, and I launched the label earlier this year and we’ve been keeping busy with a ton of new releases by the incredible artists on our roster (DV-i, Tapeworms, Vaperror, Swordes, Null Object, Couch Prints, The Life, xjerms, and Rinse).
Beyond excited to see what the future holds for that as well.
VITESSE X: BANDCAMP - YOUTUBE - WEB