LSDXOXO, a Philadelphia-born Berlin-based musician (producer, DJ, vocalist), presents a new track ‘DRaiN’ off his upcoming debut album.
LSDXOXO was born in Philadelphia but nurtured his talent in the Brooklyn rave scene, working with notable artists like as bbymutha and Cakes Da Killa, both of whom were featured on his critical GHE20G0TH1K release: FUCK, MARRY, KILL. Growing up in a Black neighbourhood and having to pivot and seek your craft as a Black LGBTQ musician in the white-dominated electronic music business is a difficult journey.
On ‘DRaiN,’ he reveals the sensitive side of LSDXOXO, providing his younger self with the pop-punk he needed in his adolescent years in the 2000s, when love-themed music about LGBT people was nearly non-existent in pop culture and is still not enough now.
“I wanted to make a piece of music that spoke to me in my adolescence how I wish I had been spoken to through pop culture in my formative years. (…) There were little-to-no showcased examples of gay love (especially alternative and black) in pop music back then, so I made this song to send back in time to baby LSDXOXO.”
LSD’s teaching approach is what elevates his message; by using his voice, he perfects both the rant and the rave, reminding us that one does not have to negate the other. ‘DRaiN’ inherently borrows from that era’s sound style, incorporating distinctive guitar riffs and garage-inspired percussion in production and processing his instantly recognised voice in a broad new tone.
Photography by Julien Tell