XPQ-21
... is first and foremost Jeyênne. Mastermind, producer and singer. Enfant terrible and Techno Raver of the first hour. In the 90s as The Jeyênne, one of the greats in the rave and techno scene, with numerous vinyl and CD releases. Touring with Prodigy and Moby, djing at festivals with greats like Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Ellen Allien...
With appearances on MTV and VIVA TV, Mayday, Loveparade and much more. Jeyênne is currently working on the new XPQ-21 album to be released in summer/autumn 2023. Together with Andy Haywire, Jeyênne mutates live into XPQ-21.
Jeyênne, welcome back, "Temptation" sounds fantastic, an impressive new release, what's the story behind the track?
A temptation is an extremely tempting stimulus that wants to induce an action that seems appealing, but is inappropriate, forbidden, immoral and/or insane. Furthermore, it can even harm our health if we give in to temptation. Virtually anything is a temptation that prevents you from achieving your goals or, in the worst case, even sabotages them. If you give in to minor temptations from time to time and are otherwise disciplined, it will not have a major impact on your life.
However, there are also temptations that, if you give in to them even once, can have a strong negative impact on your life. I have been dealing with this topic for a long time because it fascinates me and is also a taboo subject for many people.
It has often accompanied my life and led me to actions that I have either regretted or that have moved me forward. So what is it, good or bad? I haven't found an answer. You could write about it or discuss it for a long time, one song is definitely not enough.
Jeyênne means producer, songwriter, singer, etc., what's your favorite part or is it the sum of these different fields of creativity?
Oh this question is very difficult because I do everything at once without thinking about it. I'm constantly reinventing myself and trying new things, there are some things that come faster to me and some that don't but I wouldn't say this or that is my favourite part of producing.
"Temptation" is the second single from your upcoming album, what can we expect from?
The album is packed with tracks I've written over the last 10 years and produced between last year and this year in 2023. I use it to process the loss of some people in my environment. Not because they were old, quite the opposite. They died from drugs or were murdered.
I'm dealing with the fact that I fell into a hole a few years ago and didn't know how to get out of it. And I'm pretty sure I'm processing the frustration and powerlessness of the last 3 years due to the pandemic and the war. Something like that doesn't leave an artist untouched.
You have taken a break from music, how is it to be back in business again?
beyond description man! it's like i never left. There are few drugs that are good for you, this is one of them.
What do you prefer, stage or studio?
stage in the first place, because I grow there. The contact with people is incomparable. Studio in second place, because there I can go much deeper into myself to perform the result live again at the end.
Social Media ... necessary evil or a great tool to promote yourself?
a fantastic tool. I've always said that if we used technology as a whole more intelligently and efficiently, we humans would be much more advanced.
Do you miss the first days of Techno and Rave sometimes?
Absolutely yes. I haven't experienced this uncertainty and newness and freshness and explosiveness a second time. It was a musical and social explosion. But I hate to say: everything was better in the past, because that's not true. Every generation has its high time.
What comes to your mind concerning "Last Big Gamechanger in Music history"?
First years of Techno and Rave
...and, what can we expect from XPQ-21 in 2023?
We have already mentioned a new album and I hope new videos to go with the tracks we release as singles. Vinyl releases are high on our list and some gigs in summer that we already have confirmed.
The big tour might not happen this year, probably next year. But what are plans, today the world is changing at the speed of light, you don't know what tomorrow will bring. Exciting and thrilling. So, stay flexible and positive.
Cover art by TOSB XX 3æ 1.0
