ocean view ver.human Front Cover

ocean view ver.human

QxQx

  • ocean view ver.human Front Cover

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Release Date: 2026/09/30

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"ocean view ver.1" is the first release from QxQx (ver.human).

QxQx is a Tokyo-based indie/alternative project whose sound centers on hard, warped beats drawing from glitch, IDM, hip-hop, post-dubstep, techno, and related electronic styles, paired with cool, low-temperature lo-fi female vocals.

"ocean view ver.1" retains QxQx's signature heavy low end and glitchy textures while building around a minimal, straightforward four-on-the-floor rhythm. Deep bass, grainy drums, and small bursts of noise and electronic detail intertwine within a short repeating beat, creating a groove that is simple but slightly distorted. Rather than relying on large structural changes, the track moves forward through an addictive loop, remaining immediately danceable while still carrying a sense of unease that keeps it from settling into a conventional club track.

Layered over the beat are two contrasting female voices, human1 and human2.

In the first half, human1 delivers a low, languid, restrained vocal. Rather than pushing the voice to the front, it blends naturally into the heavy low end and minimal rhythm, giving the track a cool, almost inorganic character. Her loose delivery, positioned somewhere between singing and rap, and the space left between phrases fit closely with the track's stripped-back structure.

In the second half, human2 enters with a lighter, more open vocal tone. In contrast to human1's low, submerged presence, human2 brings greater lift and clarity, naturally shifting the atmosphere of the track. As her voice cuts more freely through the mix, the previously closed and weighty sound begins to open up, giving the second half a different character while the underlying beat remains largely unchanged.

Across both vocals, there is a relaxed quality reminiscent of Smerz, Shygirl, and Tirzah - a style that sits somewhere between rap, singing, whispering, and conversational delivery rather than conventional belting. The slightly dry, lo-fi character of the voices interacts with the tightly constructed electronic production, allowing the track to remain experimental without losing lightness or pop appeal.

By bringing together QxQx's core elements - heavy low end, glitch, warped machine grooves - with a simple four-on-the-floor beat and the distinct textures of two human voices, "ocean view ver.1" introduces a new side of QxQx (ver.human). Experimental yet immediate, minimal yet addictive, it can be described as a distinctly QxQx take on pop music.

Artist Profile

  • QxQx

    QxQx is a Tokyo-based indie/alternative project where humans and an AI persona perform together. Launched in 2026, it builds music around hard, warped beats drawing from glitch, IDM, hip-hop, post-dubstep, techno, and post-punk, paired with low, whispered lo-fi female vocals. Its sound balances beautiful melody with broken rhythm: mechanical tones, grainy drums, carefully placed noise and glitch, and slightly off-center machine grooves. Rather than using complex arrangements, QxQx uses short, memorable loops whose repetition creates a strong addictive pull. The vocals contrast with the density of the tracks. Restrained, close-mic'd, and slightly languid, they move between singing and rap, leaving space between words and giving the music a cool, intimate lo-fi character. The tension between highly detailed electronics and loose, understated vocals keeps the music experimental without becoming heavy, creating an unusual sense of lightness, humor, and pop immediacy. The approach shifts from sparse, spacious productions to dense low-end grooves, hip-hop-weighted beats, and more repetitive techno or house structures. Yet the core remains consistent: warped electronics, slightly unstable grooves, addictive loops, cool female vocals, and strong melody. If described through existing artists, QxQx sits somewhere between Flying Lotus's warped beat sense, Aphex Twin's alien electronics, Modeselektor's twisted machine groove, Billie Eilish's close, low-register vocals, and Cibo Matto's light female rap. Its artificial sound, female vocal presence, and visual identity have also led to comparisons with a contemporary Grimes. QxQx is led by Dr. D, a physician and long-time trackmaker who previously worked as YYoYY. Through the LOW HIGH WHO? scene and relationships with artists including DAOKO, Seiho, Utena Kobayashi, DE DE MOUSE, and Taiki Tsuneta, he absorbed a wide range of musical ideas before restarting with QxQx as a new project. He writes and produces the music and lyrics. QxQx began as a playful experiment: putting AI vocals over Dr. D's own tracks. Since January 2026, human members with backgrounds in singing, dance, and performance have joined, transforming the project into a hybrid of human authorship, physical performance, and AI voice and visuals. The AI persona is not simply a vocal tool but a character with its own voice, expressions, and fashion, existing alongside the human members. QxQx released "smoke" in March 2026, with "spiral" scheduled for September. Still at an early stage, the project has over 30,000 followers across social media and more than 10 million views and plays across its content. "smoke" has achieved a 37% save rate on Spotify and is being heard in Japan, the UK, France, and other countries worldwide. QxQx is also working on separate projects with Prefuse 73 (Scott Herren) and Howie B as producers. These collaborations are pushing the sound in new directions, with new material from both planned for this show. QxQx fits SXSW because it exists at the intersection of music, technology, visual culture, and performance. Its genre-crossing electronic sound, human/AI structure, character-driven visuals, fashion, and international collaborations all reflect the kind of cross-disciplinary experimentation SXSW brings together. For QxQx, SXSW is an ideal stage to present the full scope of a project built not only around new music, but around new relationships between sound, image, technology, and human performance.

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