Sydney producer Nyxen takes us back to the future of the past on her new single 'Insomnia', hugely inspired by 1980s cyberpunk aesthetics.
Solidifying Nyxen's dark and futuristic sound, 'Insomnia' draws on the concept of retro futurism a la 'Blade Runner', 'Total Recall' and 'The Terminator', fusing elements of rock and brooding electronica.'Insomnia' is Nyxen's musical approximation of her own experiences with the sleep disorder and is the first taste of the new direction in which she wants to head as an artist.
The track tops off what has been a robust and productive past 12 months for Nyxen's career, with her selling out her first-ever national headline tour earlier in the year and supporting Crooked Colours on their national tour.
At the halfway mark for the year, how has 2019 been for you so far?
2019 has been a really good year. I sold out my first live headline tour, followed that up supporting Crooked Colours for their tour and have used the time in between shows to work on new music and improve my live show.
Talk to us about your new song 'Insomnia' and the concept/ story behind it?
I was really trying to capture the experience of insomnia with this track lyrically and within the instrumental. I’d been playing with the concept of writing music with the aesthetic of a cyberpunk, retro, futuristic world. This track is the first taste of this new vibe.
How do you cope with bouts of insomnia?
I mostly play video games and tinker with songs that I’m working on. Probably not the best way to cope because both of those activities get me a bit hyped up, haha.
Selling out your debut national tour earlier in the year, congratulations. Did you enjoy the touring experience and life on the road?
It was really scary at first. I’ve always felt more comfortable in the studio rather than on the stage, but the tour completely changed that for me. I loved the experience, being able to perform your music to a room full of people is such a privilege. There’s nothing quite like it. I think I’m addicted now, haha.
What did you learn from that tour for the next one?
Going into this next tour, I’m definitely stepping everything up a notch. I’ve given all of my older songs a 2019 refresh, and we’re giving all the lighting and production a facelift. You definitely notice what elements/ moments really capture the crowd, so trying to incorporate more of those moments. My aim is to continually evolve the show, so each tour is a new experience.
How are you feeling about the upcoming tour in August for 'Insomnia'?
I’m pretty excited about it. I’ve been in hermit mode getting ready for it, making changes and trying to create the best experience possible.
In terms of staging and visuals, what can audiences expect from these shows?
The last tour we went crazy with the lighting... we’re definitely going into this tour with the same mentality. Dave McMahon does lights for all of my shows and he is a total weapon, so expect it to be nuts.
About your songwriting process – where/ how does a song usually start for you?
It changes a lot, I don’t think you should create any rules around where you start. It obviously starts with an idea whether that be a concept or a chord progression etc. Recently I wrote a list of song titles down and decided to write a song to fit the title. That has been a super fun way of writing because you can really get creative.
The moment you decided to make music for a living was?
I don’t think I ever decided that I was going to make music for a living. I always knew that I wanted to make music and as time passed and I released more music I was lucky enough to be in a position where I could focus entirely on music.
What are your plans for the rest of the year?
My plan is to just keep working on music and the live show/ finishing the tour and releasing my EP! How do you see your music evolving over the next few years? I honestly have no idea, I write music that spreads across broad spectrum of sound. Sometimes I write songs that sound more fitted to a band and sometimes I write music more suited to clubs. I hope to continue to improve my skills and I guess the only thing I know for sure is there will be a lot of new music coming in the next few years.
'Insomnia' is out now.
Nyxen Tour 2019
Fri 16 Aug - Howler (Melbourne)Sat 17 Aug - Oxford Art Factory (Sydney)
Sat 24 Aug - Brightside (Brisbane)
Sat 31 Aug - Jack Rabbit Slims (Perth)
