You know the artists. When they come on the radio, you cringe and say, “Wow. This song.” (“Or, why am I listening to the radio!?”) They’re artists that are left in the sun so long that they’ve withered out – become wrinkly and leather faced versions of what they used to promote. Producer Marcel Everett is the opposite. He’s cool. Chill. Refreshingly new. A glass of lemonade. But, his tracks aren’t always necessarily cool. Sometimes they’re (akin to molten VHS tapes, liquefied cassettes) woozy, wobbly, sun drenched master-manipulations. And that’s what makes his music so interesting – it’s always shifting, an auditory Icy Hot patch to soothe any ailing music palate.
16-year-old Marcel Everett isn’t a secret anymore. The visuals to his track “About You” have amassed nearly 200,000 views on YouTube. Which, for a up-and-coming artist, is like winning the lottery and catching a ride to the bank on a mutated tiger-unicorn. Add to that collaborations with Giraffage and Kitsuné…. All signs point to xxyyxx sticking around for a while. Did I mention he’s working with Ta-ku too? Could it be that all it takes to succeed is having an ‘xx’ in your name? Could be. Helps to make some pretty bomb music too.
His style pulls influence from artists like Lapalux, Star Slinger, Disclosure and Shlohmo. Though, he’s his own beast. He has two albums, XXYYXX and Still Sound, that incorporate pitched vocals and off-beat percussion. He’s a bedroom producer extraordinaire. Opponents of laptop productions might not like this. But why? For me, it’s less about the music-making process and more about the music. And, it’s some intriguing stuff.
“About You” skids on the concrete, tumbling and waffling until it lies on the asphalt shattered. A cassette with its clear frame fractured; its black guts spilled like a broken yolk. The tape was already warped by the sun. Its clarity destroyed by being left in the car too long. Warning: This track melts in your ear.
Travelers should note: Orlando, Florida is now home to a new attraction–xxyyxx.
Where to find xxyyxx: