We caught up with Michael Evans, the man behind MiXE1 to find out some more about the project, and the meaning behind the words...
+Sum up your project in one sentence
Emotional electronic music with hooky melodies and influences from pop through to heavy metal
+Who are your 3 biggest influences?
I couldn’t name any particular artists, as Klayton from Celldweller once said it's a result of years of intake. The 3 biggest factors though are the important people in my life, movies and lots of music-listening :)
+What is the concept behind MiXE1?
The general arching concept of the project is that all the events of the songs take place in a fictional city called MiXE1, which is a futuristic city - very Tokyo inspired or Bladerunner but with less emphasis on poverty, a more romantic take on it (check out the EP artwork).
+Why go for a concept at all?
Because I find concepts like this exciting, it's an escape, it's a new world for you to immerse yourself in. To me its also a way of binding the songs together with more than just the artist name alone, that all songs are taking place in this environment. As a song writer it's helpful, if I'm writing something particularly personal putting it within the MiXE1 city can make it easier to write about as it's partially removed from reality. For the second EP I've gone for a concept within the concept, each track acts as a different chapter in a story.
+Why did you choose to go the EP route?
Initially because it's faster to get the music out there, especially when starting out.. that said there is a full length album in the works ;)
+What motivates you to write for MiXE1?
Passion for music, a need to create. For me and many others, music is a lifestyle, I couldn't get through the day without it - I'm inspired by all sorts of music and the emotions they invoke. I want people to feel with my songs what my favourite artists make me feel. It's an emotional outlet, a creative outlet.
+How do your songs ideas begin?
It's different per song, sometimes just dabbling with different synth settings until a sound sparks something, other times it starts on guitar then I'll work that into an electronic track.. usually a sound will excite me and I'll start forming a song round it. Once there's an outline of the song there musically, the vocals come very naturally, I find vocal melodies the easiest part of writing.. lyrics for those melodies require a bit more time though. The general attitude I adopt for writing, regardless of the project, is I try to make songs I would listen to, contain the things I like.. and fortunately that’s memorable vocals, emotion and interesting sounds.
+How would you describe the Alternative Electronic scene in the UK?
Honestly I don't follow it too closely apart from the electronic circles I'm involved in so I can't really comment - although I've seen some great up and coming acts that are coming through. Fortunately all the people I've come across are very friendly and every one tries to help each other, it's a great community like that.
+Are your song-writing sessions and concepts affected by current affairs, or do you try to stick to the fictional narrative?
The songs are definitely influenced by what's going on although more from what's happening in my personal life than on a global scale or anything political. Sometimes some pretty personal things are there massaged into the music, maybe a few different things in the same track, then the project is kind of a vehicle to write about these things. I do have one lyrical rule though - I don't write anything hardcore depressing or too negative - that doesn’t mean every track is happy go lucky or anything but if there's some darker stuff going on, I lace it with some positivity.
+Where do you see MiXE1 going in the future?
More well known, more releases, and as an exciting live act. The project hasn't hit the stage yet and I've never hit it as the lead singer before so that'll be an experience. I'm excited about getting the second EP out there, already writing for the release after...
+ Your last band was rock based in format, what has drawn you into electronic music?
Yea the band was pretty dark and heavy and at the time I was really into guitar effects, weird sounds that basically sounded like synths.. so the electronic vibe was always an influence.. then one day I started experimenting with +actual+ synth sounds - then discovered there's an unlimited amount of sounds out there, tools to create an epic soundscape - so MiXE1 was born from it. I have this attitude that music is music, you shouldn’t limit yourself to genres though so I take things from my alternative music background and throw them in.. particularly with the subtle screams and growls.. in more recent stuff these are becoming less subtle tho ^^
+ if you could play with any 2 other bands, who would they be?
Zeromancer and Celldweller… or if they still existed, Stabbing Westward!
