Name: ARXX
Members: Hanni Pidduck (lead vocals, guitar), Clara Townsend (drums)
Nationality: British
Current release: ARXX's sophomore album Good Boy is out via Submarine Cat.
Recommendations: Book - Invisible Child by Andrea Elliot; Art - anything by Keith Haring - I think his work is a really important reminder that things don’t have to be that complicated to mean something.

If you enjoyed this Arxx interview and would like to know more about the band and their music, visit their official homepage. They are also on Instagram, Soundcloud, and Facebook.

For a deeper dive, read our earlier Arxx interview, where they answer a previous version of the questionnaire.



When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening? Do you listen with your eyes open or closed?

For me when I hear music it’s like there’s a movie playing in my head and the music creates a landscape.

Entering/creating new worlds through music has always exerted a strong pull on me. What do you think you are drawn to most when it comes to listening to and creating music?

I think we’re both drawn to a sense of joy in music. Not necessarily happy music, but music that’s expressive and feels like some sort of a release.

According to scientific studies, we make our deepest and most incisive musical experiences between the ages of 13-16. What did music mean to you at that age and what’s changed since then?

At that age music was everything to me in the sense that it was the only tool I had for expression and the only thing I felt like related to me.

Now I’m older I think a lot of those gaps are filled with beautiful people. But music is still everything to me.

Tell me about one or two of your early pieces that you're still proud of (or satisfied with) – and why you're content with them.

When I was younger I wrote very differently. My lyrics were very deeply metaphorical.

I’m proud of the things I wrote when I was younger because they got me to the point I’m at now, but ultimately now I prefer my lyrics to be more candid and more upfront.

What is your current your studio or workspace like? What instruments, tools, equipment, and space do you need to make music?

At the moment we pretty much work out of our producer's studio. His name is Steven Ansell and he is amazing.

There’s guitars and synths to play around with, but usually most of our songs start with a melody which comes from Hanni’s voicenotes that they take in the car.

From the earliest sketches to the finished piece, tell me about the creative process for your current release, please.

This album was really unique. When we went to record the album I had to have vocal surgery which meant that the whole process was turned on it’s head. Instead of starting with melodies, we had to start with all the instrumentation.

This meant that we had to write in a completely new way and I think it’s why there’s so many boldly different choices.

What role and importance do rituals have for you, both as an artist and a listener?

We both personally love listening to vinyl because it feels ritualistic and means that you appreciate the music more and are more present for it.

We both have rituals for before stage and that helps us get in a place where we feel ready to perform and be vulnerable. 6 star jumps is the secret number.

Are you acting out parts of your personality in your music which you couldn't or wouldn't in your daily life? If so, which are these?

I would say we’re quite true to character on stage. It certainly offers an opportunity to be a bit more confident and make a bit more noise.

Late producer SOPHIE said: “You have the possibility [...] to generate any texture, and any sound. So why would any musician want to limit themselves?” What's your take on that?

I think that’s absolutely accurate. We started out wanting all of our recordings to sound “live” for guitar and drums, and the moment we let that go we started creating music that was so much more interesting.

I think there are limiting factors like ability, circumstance, finances, but I think what’s absolutely key is that you never creatively limit yourself.

Do you feel that your music or your work as an artist needs to have a societal purpose or a responsibility to anyone but yourself?

Yes and no. We write our music for ourselves so we don’t feel pressure in that sense. But we also want to provide some representation for people like ourselves, because it’s vital.

Once a piece is done and released, do you find it important that listeners understand it in a specific way? How do you deal with “misunderstandings?”

No definitely not. I think it’s none of my business how people want to relate to the songs and the fact that it can mean different things is really beautiful.

Sound, song, and rhythm are all around us, from animal noises to the waves of the ocean. What, if any, are some of the most moving experiences you've had with these non-human-made sounds? In how far would you describe them as “musical”?

It can be really fun bringing in “real world sounds” into the recording process. I feel like we’re using these different textures it can help your music feel more your own and autobiographical.

For example, the dog in "Good Boy" is Hanni’s dog, and some of the percussion used through the record was the sound of both of us playing squash.

We can surround us with sound every second of the day. The great pianist Glenn Gould even considered this the ultimate delight. How do you see that yourself and what importance does silence hold?

As a neurodiverse person, silence is quite important for me. Without it., I’d go
mad.

Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

Yes it’s different for me. Music is the vehicle I use to express the stuff that I can’t always say. It doesn’t feel mundane to me at all.

What is a music related question that you would like to ask yourself – and what's your answer to it?

Why didn’t you practise the piano?
Because I had other things on.