After carving their name in the Manchester scene and releasing their first ever EP, we caught up with HAZY to speak all things electro and emotional.
Hi! How are things going? What have you been up to?
Hey. Things are going well thanks. We’ve been releasing our first ever EP ‘Crystal Disguise’, and most recently shot a live video of our track ‘Reverse Blues’ from the EP. We’ve just returned to Band on the Wall, which is a special for us as it was the first gig that we did as a full band. It felt great to return as a more established band.
When did music enter your life? When, can you remember, did it mean something more than sound to you?
We all grew up around music from a young age. For me it was when my Mum introduced me to the piano and my Dad belted out The Jam at every opportunity. I knew that I wanted to write music as a means to communicate with others on an emotional level and to share my experiences through a medium stronger than speech.
How do you think Manchester, Budapest and Hong Kong have influenced how you write? They’re all very unique.
Each member of the band brings something unique to the music. Our backgrounds from different cities create a cultural clash, which gives the music depth as we all subconsciously pay homage to our upbringing. Having lived in Manchester and being surrounded by such great musicians, it’s influenced how we write, produce and perform our music.
Your music is electronic-based, it’s complex and layered. How do you go about starting the writing process? What idea or instrument do you build from?
I usually begin with production or piano. I use the piano to create melodies and harmonies early on before taking it to production. Once it’s in production, my ideas can develop sonically as producing gives you a lot of freedom. I try to create a recognizable motifs (which vary from beats, melodies, samples etc). Once I’ve got a song or idea, I bring it to the band and we work out the rest.
Your ‘About’ page on your website states that you have a “compelling objective to liberate unspoken social issues”. When you write, do you create with the intention to address something specifically? Or does it come naturally?
I usually write about things that I’m itching to address publically. I think it’s difficult to address issues naturally unless you’ve got some relatable life experience in the subject of focus. I only write about something that’s closely related to my life, otherwise, I’d be in danger of fabricating the message.
With a strong message as a theme in your work. What do you want your listeners to take away from you as artists right now?
We’d like people to relate to our music on a personal level. We often write songs about difficult situations that we’ve experienced. Hopefully, our listeners can connect with our message and use the music to relieve their current situation.
Lastly, what’s the plan for the rest of the year? Any releases or gigs coming up?
We’re making our London debut this Friday. We’re playing ‘The Spice Of Life’ in Soho. (You can find tickets HERE) We’re currently recording new music. And, we’re going to release some live songs that we’ve been dying to get out.
Listen to Hazy on Spotify. Get the latest edition of our print magazine HERE.
