all inquiries, bookings and correspondence send to xander@mcxander.com
Just me and a mic, with some help live from a BOSS-RC50 loopstation a Korg KP2.
Influences
Bobby McFerrin, Bjork, Sigur Ros, Rennie Pilgrim, Lauryn Hill, Sheila Chandra, Hallucinogen, Radiohead, Buck 65, Issac Hayes, Paul Simon, Bonobo, Saul Williams, Rokia Traore, OTT, Roots Manuva, Blackalicious, Joni Mitchel, Silver Mount Zion, Bach, Rachmaninov, Rhazel, Salif Keita, Paradox, Inua Ellams, Polar Bear, Evil 9, Bill Hicks, overtone singers worldwide, Plump DJs, all the great uk beatboxers, RATM, One Self, The Bulgarian Womens Choirs, Angelite, Vocal Sampling, Blockhead, Dynamite MC, Shpongle, Squarepusher, Explosions in the Sky, Bob Marley, Pendulum, Ravi Shankar, Asha Bhosle, Tibetan Bhuddist Monks, Herbaliser (and their various MCs), Foreign Beggars, Asian Dub Foundation, Cuban Sol, .... Vipassana meditation and Haatha yoga.
London’s MC Xander has been described as a ‘sonic shaman’.
A Rapper and beatboxer, this innovative artist uses nothing more than a mic, a pedal controlled sampler, an FX box and his own vocal chords to record, loop and edit the beats, sounds and words emanating from his mouth. Intricate, multilayered beats carry along sub-bass frequencies emitted form somewhere deep within his chest. Spine-tingling, almost operatic vocals merge with Sanskrit chanting and beautiful choir-esque melodies to create a platform for his conscious rhymes to flow over the top.
Although most of Xander's music has an unmistakable quality that ties it together, his vocal dexterity is a variable flow from arab-esque devotional chanting through soulful reggae crooning, to breakneck drum and bass, jumpy breakbeat and ragga stylings.
Having come out of London’s breakbeat scene, he has MC’d for DJs like Atomic Hooligan, Rennie Pilgrim and Eddy Temple Morris and although MCs ordinarily need DJs, Xander is not an ordinary MC. His loopstation technique to human beatbox allows him to create incredible layered compositions before adding his poetic wordflows. The result is a combination of awesomely fat human beatbox, lush vocal harmonies and inspired rhymes.
Xander’s versatility and near-universal appeal has seen him support big acts in the worlds of both hip-hop and alternative music. He has opened up for Mobb Deep, Whoo Kid and 3 times DMC winner, DJ Craze, as well as platinum selling singer songwriter Newton Faulkner.
His unique brand of multi-vocalism has seen him playing regularly at the UK summer festivals, including Glastonbury, Glade, Secret Garden and Bloom.
Stranger Mag, after catching his Glastonbury performance reported that “His voice was a revelation” and The sun newspaper called it “The best beatbox display I have ever seen”. He has also played shows in Russia, Japan, Thailand, Eastern Europe, Australia, Spain, Holland, India and Germany.
News
Yo yo yoo!
The summer update is here... with the festie season already kicking off in ecstatic brilliance and knowing how much everyone is already enjoying the sun, I will keep this brief......
The first thing on the radar for me is the party in the beautiful coed hills in wales for the summer soltice weekend. As well as me, I will be joined in this most idyllic of settings by tragic roundabout and the beautiful Carrie Tree. Nature and music synthesise to create the best way to enjoy the solstice - and it looks as though its going to be glorious sunshine too.
The sunday of that same weekend, I'm going to be playing in Hyde Park for the Exhibition road music day with other One Taste regulars. And the best thing, apart from it being out in the sunshine on a huge stage is that it is absolutely free!! So even better.
Next up, Glasto. I'll be playing in the Chai Wallahs space again because I absolutely love the intimacy and the vibe. So far, I'm playing at 9.30pm on Thursday and at 5pm on Sunday. Come and check out the wallahs, they've got a new fatter than god soundsystem too!
After we've picked up the pieces from Glasto, the next thing is Break! in Bristol's Lakota. I'm in the streets for the St. Pauls carnival and then the 2nd room of an immense line-up from LTJ Bukem, Krust to the Dreadzone soundsystem. Gonna be dope!
Then I'm off to europe for 5 weeks doing shows in Germany, Austria, Holland and places along the way, sometimes in a club, sometimes on a street. Then its back for Shambala festival and I'm pretty much done (in) for the summer!
Would love to see you all you shiny summery peeps, so come and lets frolic, dance our arses off and generally do what out european summers require!
hello, please take an ear at my player!SMOOTH KRIMINAL REMIX UP
!!!!!comment or feedback welcome . . . and really thanx again for your
time spending !!!
Hi ! Just here to inform (like so many) that a new track is on myspace called "Subtle Things". This is a nervous and mechanic drum'n'bass stuff ! Thank's for you're listenin'.
For a bit of fun and to support me I would very much appreciate it if you would vote for me in the MySpace Indie Top 100 @ http://www.myspace.com/indietop100 The track of mine which is being put forward is, 'Rectify'.
News just in... my new website is now LIVE! All my mixes are
available for free download, videos, blog posts, gig info and a promo
page where you can win assorted Rane, Serato, DocVek & DJ Cheeba
goodies! (Just hit the link below to check it out)
And as if that wasn't enough, my 60 minute video mix 'The
Reels of Solid Steel' has now made its debut on Solid
Steel and is available via iTunes for free download. Just
search the iTunes store for "solid steel podcast" and grab number 103 -
'DJ Cheeba'. Easy!
Ello Xander, hope you're well:) Got 4 new tracks up that I just reccorded with the band...would love to know what ya think!? Peaaaace an music :) Naomi
I saw that you read my email and wondered if you had any thoughts about the film I made. the sound is just being corrected at the moment and the final edit will be finished on Friday 4th. Would love to send you a copy if you send me your address. Don't know if you'd be interested but i'm going to be organising a discussion at rthe Southbank on Endangered languages and how people perceive language as individuals. I would like to screen the short film and following this will be some street poetry and another beatboxer- Joe Driscoll (although I have to organise dates). would be brilliant to have you involved if you have time and there should be some media interest as Westminster council are probably going to have to be involved. It would be wicked to talk to you about this in person as your part in the film really ties language and music together. I sent you my email address so if you get a chance would be good to get in contact. Oh, also, my mate who helped create the film will be at Shambala- i won't be as i'm finishing my thesis. His name is Matt Taylor and he said he's going to come and find you. Have a wicked festival , Abi
thank u 4 adding me and i hope you'll find the way back to berlin, 2 c & hear u again...
enjoy your way to perform your style, as we did, coming out of a cinema and can't walk away, cause you've celebrated a performance at alexanderplatz (ok ok until the police stopped, cause of "too-loud-music"... (we think the rest about the guy who called them....grrr).
hope 2 see you back..
keep your friendly way...
greeting from Carsten, Sabine, Jona & Angelina (last 2 are 7 years old an enjoyed your music, too)
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