GEOCLASHING: vxba
GEOCLASHING is a mini interview series focused on getting to know an artist's relationship with the world through the music they consume. Six prompts, six songs, six stories.
Baran Yildiz, otherwise known by his stage name vxba, is a Berlin based producer and recording artist. Born in Ankara, Turkey, Raised Houston, Texas, and living in Beijing, China for a couple years before moving to Berlin, Baran’s eclectic collection of past homes, as well as his eclectic personality, shines through in his artistry. Baran describes his music as “explore[ing] some fusions of trap, hyper pop, experimental electronic, ambient and punk/metal”, but as a listener, vxba’s discocraphy is impossible to define. From deep, drenched, cavernous sonic valleys to pricky, erratic synthesized peaks, vxbas music–like Baran himself–is impossible to pin down to one place, one sound, one state.
Dam Üstüne Çul Serer - Selda Bağcan
“Selda has been a beloved queen of Turkish music since the 70’s, and for good reason. Her lyrics are so politically poignant and anti establishment, something sadly missing from most (if not all) modern popular artists in Turkey. Not to mention the song itself is a mystical psychedelic experience to behold”.
Day 25: Traveler - Southeast of Rain
“I’ve lived in China and speak Mandarin, so my choice is this piece by the Chinese neoclassical/experimental duo. This song and the album it comes from for me represents a freedom of expression, sensitivity, intimacy and acceptance of oneself”.
War - chief keef
“It’s Chicago drill, but for me it reminds me of me and my neighbourhood friends growing up in Houston. I get hazy flashbacks every time I listen to it. We loved Chief Keef and needless to say his music had me and all the other disillusioned youth of colour in my city in a chokehold”.
Butchered Identity - Defeated Sanity
“As far as death metal goes - it doesn’t get much better than this German band for me. Progressive, insane, unpredictable and brutal all while maintaining a heavy vision. They also somehow manage to avoid all the annoying production and composition tropes that plague modern metal”.
Uptown Psychedelia - Tim Hecker and Daniel Lopatin
“Impossible pick, but I’ll say this song for now. Super experimental and abstract, but relatable for those who understand. Freeform, improvisational and thematic. It puts you in a time and place, it’s filled with emotion; you can almost see the two artists in a room or studio playing and composing together. Extremely euphoric and otherworldly, but also grounding”.
Do It Now - Rozz Dyliams and Bexey
“I can’t help but feel like they struck gold with this song and the entire album it’s from and no one seemed to notice. I find both artists so uniquely weird in their own way, and they bring out the best in each other on this track. The production is also such an amazing cocktail of old school and new school styles. Probably not something everyone can appreciate, but I still think everyone should hear it”.
