X Harlow Confronts a Violent and Hopeless Reality on “Feuerwerk”

The Brooklyn-based solo artist X Harlow premieres the first two tracks from their debut album Feuerwerk that offers a mix of genres from melancholy darkwave to glitch-infused dance – all tinged in gritty metallic industrial. X Harlow (Justin Schmidt) responds to the current swell of violence, the level of incarceration, and economic tribulations in the United States with Feuerwerk. The paranoia and strain of a hopeless future emanates throughout the LP, with Schmidt’s vocals that cry for relief from the tortures of reality. As a core member of the dark freestyle group Blu Anxxiety – alongside vocalist Dracula Orengo (ex-Anasazi) – Schmidt is no stranger to confrontation within their music.

 “The album reflects on the extreme factionalism and engrained violence that are increasingly defining America’s cultural landscape.”

“Fly Bubble” is a track that is built on the conflict of sounds, not far from the oddball synth of Crash Course in Science. As Schmidt sings the line “trapped at home…” one wonders if they somehow guessed that an isolated, lonely existence of confinement from a life-threatening virus was just around the corner as they wrote this song. With poignant melodies that clash alongside threatening electronics, Feuerwerk is a tome of life’s upheaval in the current climate.

Feuerwerk is out April 10th via the label We Be Friends on both vinyl and digital.