Q&A: Glixen Explores Yearning and Desire in “Lust”
FEELING THE WEIGHT OF INTENSE DESIRE – Phoenix-based shoegaze band Glixen is turning heads once again with their latest single, "lust," a dizzyingly intimate sonic journey that plunges listeners into a world of intense yearning and passionate desire. Following the success of their crowd favorite track "foreversoon," the band continues to build momentum with their unique blend of heavy shoegaze and nu-metal influences.
"Lust" sees Glixen delving deeper into their sonic experimentation, with nu-metal guitar tones taking center stage amidst blissed-out rhythms, creating an atmosphere that is both intensely heavy and melodically captivating. Singer Aislinn Ritchie describes the track as an exploration of the fleeting intensity of desire, capturing the shallow yet passionate rush that comes with yearning for someone.
"It is a feeling that is shallow, yet it feels intense and passionate but only for a moment," Ritchie says. "We wanted to take the direction of our sound to a heavier place. I wanted the weight of the sound to crush me."
With "lust," Glixen offers listeners a tantalizing glimpse into the direction of their forthcoming sophomore EP, which is set to be released later this year. Produced by Sonny DiPerri, the EP promises to further push the boundaries of the band's sound, building upon the foundation laid by "foreversoon" and "lust."
The release of "foreversoon" marked a significant turning point for Glixen, signaling a new chapter in their musical journey as they ventured into heavier territory. Now, with "lust," the band continues to evolve and expand their sonic palette, captivating audiences with their immersive soundscapes and emotive lyricism.
Photography Credit: Jesse Beecher
LUNA: Thank you for sitting down and talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar yet, what inspires your artistic style and creative persona?
ESTEBAN: I get my inspiration from a lot of 90s, early 2000s movies. I really like early 2000s horror movies and they really influenced me. As far as sound, I've always wanted to recreate that soundscaping that influenced me growing up and then classic 90s shoegaze bands.
LUNA: Say if someone hasn’t heard of your music yet. Which song would you show them to introduce to your discography and why does that track stand out to you the most?
AISLINN: “Lust” because that’s definitely the direction of where our sound is heading.
LUNA: Congratulations on your latest single release “lust.” Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the song and how it fits into the broader themes of the new era in your music post She Only Said EP?
AISLINN: Me and Esteban were just playing around in this tuning and we’re making a song separately and writing chords. We came together and realized that the chords we’re writing fit each other perfectly. We started jamming those chords and our friends were jamming with us. I loved how heavy it sounded and I’ve been wanting to make music like that and I was really excited throughout the process.
LUNA: How has your sound evolved since your She Only Said EP and did you make any intentional choices in your latest releases that captures your artistic growth and maturity?
ESTEBAN: We've always wanted to create something heavier, like we wanted to do a total tone shift of heavier sound. I keep saying the word bleak but at the same time, I still wanted to capture the pop element of She Only Said was very important to us.
AISLINN: I wanted to keep my vocals the same, but put it into a heavier world. That’s been our goal, but also our moods lately. We have been gravitating towards this sound more when we’re writing She Only Said.
LUNA: I would love to know more about your upcoming EP and anything you would like to share with our readers. What can listeners expect from you in this new era of music?
ESTEBAN: Definitely a tone shift from our previous work, but it will be completely different from what She Only Said.
AISLINN: It feels darker and moodier. I feel like the colors in this are going to feel more purple and blue, maybe even a deeper scheme like a maroon. Right now it’s halfway done and I’m still trying to build a relationship with this EP. We’re focusing on finishing the last song for the EP and still have some demoing to do. We still have some work to do on this EP before I know what it’s even called yet, but we do have all the names for the songs. My favorite one is “Lick The Star.”
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would love to share with Luna?
AISLINN: I feel surreal. I feel very inspired and motivated to keep going. It feels like a weird trend. It just feels different being home knowing that music is going to be a big part of my life soon and it is already. We're figuring it out officially being musicians.
