Hailing from Kent, 23-year-old hxrmer is making waves with a unique blend of ambient rap and alt-rock. Making his mark on Soundcloud, hxrmer’s latest track, ‘2D’, is a testament to his ability to create music that is both soothing and thought-provoking.
In this interview, we explore hxrmer's musical influences, the creative process behind ‘2D’, and his philosophy on songwriting. From his early exposure to a diverse range of music to his dedication to crafting lyrics that resonate with listeners on a personal level, hxrmer's story is one of passion and artistic exploration.
So great to meet you, hxrmer. The new single has been seeing some good numbers online, being received well by fans and critics alike. Can you tell us a bit more about it?
“’2D’ is about having struggles with myself and evidently giving up. It also speaks on how the partner in the relationship can see straight through the act and knows what’s really going on. It means a lot to me as I put up this wall or act on the outside of being completely fine while not knowing if it’s a feeling that’s going to pass or do I cave into it.”
Is there a central message or theme you were trying to convey in the song?
“I think the message would be the struggle I personally feel yet as well as I think I’m hiding it, there are flaws in the masking. In the line ‘feeling like I’m 2D, she can see right through me’ it means more when you look at a piece of paper side on rather than the opacity showing that the mask is thin and it’s not as solid as I feel it is.”
How would you describe your sound on the single? Has there been a change or evolution in style since you first began?
“The latest releases have strayed away from what I began with in quite a big jump. My first songs were very alt-rock influenced, although I would say the contexts are all the same. My songs have a sadder sound to them so that has stuck. I hope to think that the quality has also progressed from the mixing, to the flows and melodies.”
You’ve come a long way since you start - when did you first start making music? Where did it all begin, and what inspired you?
“I have been making music for as long as I can remember, from making full songs in a band with family members, to making beats on logic while being in college, and finally a few years back when I started recording vocals. My inspiration would be from my dad who introduced me to artists such as Eminem, Dr Dre, D12, Cypress Hill all the way to Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Doors, The Beatles and so much more, which helped me in finding such a broad style of music and inspiration from different parts of the art.”
What is your songwriting process at the moment?
“For the songwriting process, I tend to spend however long looking for beats on YouTube, open up logic and record some mumbled words in different ways until I like how the cadence and harmonies sit. After this, I will start to record in whatever comes to mind in a freestyled way. This leads me to branching off with multiple other lines which I will take one and repeat until the end. Although I use this method majority of the time, I also write lyrics down through the day from 2 bar lines, to an 8 bar and implement them into what I can.”
What’s the most important thing when you’re writing a song?
“I think the most important part to writing a song is to keep it with a personal meaning to myself but sometimes being a bit more vague so the listener can interpret the meaning/lyrics to their own life too. It’s also got to be catchy and have memorable parts so don’t make it too complicated and try not to cram as much information in short bursts.”
Are there any artists, moments, or experiences that influenced you when writing the project?
“The song is an overall experience of how I feel within day-to-day life as I mentioned in the last question. I suppose artists such as X and Peep would also be influences in terms of the morbid lyrics about suicide.”
What has been your best moment as a musician or band so far?
“Just getting positive feedback from people when I feel I’m not there. From looking on socials when I post snippets and have new people coming to drop a comment that they enjoyed it or seeing that people have listened to tracks multiple times in the last day/week.”
What advice would you give to bands and artists who are just starting out and trying to find their sound?
“Play around with different styles of sound that you like, pick pieces from different genres that you could implement into your art to make yourself stand out that bit more. The more real you keep your music to who you are will also make it 10x easier to be creative with your own experiences and portray the real you to your audience.”
Is there anything you would like to say to our audience?
“If you could give me 2 minutes of your time to just give it a try and see if it’s for you would mean the world to me. If it’s not, it’s only two minutes for you, but makes my day. If it is, then I look forward to having new family and friends on board to join the journey with me and even open new paths for the future. Thank you, hxrmer.”
With a foundation built on artists like Eminem and Dr. Dre, as well as underground artists like Ripeternal, Caspr, X, and Peep, hxrmer has developed a sound that is entirely his own. His music seamlessly blends the raw energy of rap with the atmospheric textures of ambient and alt-rock. This interview provides a fascinating glimpse into the mind of an artist who is constantly pushing boundaries and challenging genre conventions.
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