Live Review: Open your mind with AVAXA's 'Androgen'

Each week, we select one artist to feature as our Spotlight Artist. This week, we have chosen AVAXA.

AVAXA is one of those enigmatic artists that imbues meaning to every detail as to create a mythology around their music. Their debut release ‘Androgen’ is the name of a synthetic or natural compound that promotes growth of male characteristics. This may seem off-kilter but it is all part of intrigue. Of the track, AVAXA says, “Let it draw you in and smack you around a little. Kinda like a good bondage session. It knows what you like. It knows what you can handle.” And they aren't wrong. In fact, AVAXA are entirely on the money: they aren’t just debuting a sound but an entire vision.

‘Androgen’ isn’t an easy track to describe, on Soundcloud wedged between the hashtags dreamy and chillwave is #aggressive. Yet, it’s right. ‘Androgen’ is ambient and dream-like; gentle bass and angelic synths carry you throughout. It's only after these gathering build-ups, the song sheds its ambience and replaces it with the aggressiveness in the form of dubstep-like drops. They exit quicker than they come in, disappearing as if they’d never shattered the expansive and spacey ambience.

AVAXA’s debut track won't be for everyone. Its blurred approach to genre and mood exists for those who want to be challenged, those who don’t believe pleasure only exists when you are comfortable. But that’s exactly the mission. The name "AVAXA" itself is said to be a term for "letting your mind transcend the space-time continuum to an environment of passionate unhindered free-movement, wild enthusiasm and free pingaz always," according to the artist's Soundcloud.

From AVAXA’s open-minded approach to music and the world, and adept fondness for bondage – it is of no surprise they’ve spent the past few months in Berlin. However, they are back in Australia, and are set to launch their new single at The Foundry in Brisbane on Feburary 2nd. Get your tickets here.

Words by Lloyd Crackett

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