Hans. (May 2018)
Every once in a while, an artist comes along that cares above all for taking their listeners into a mental space of positivity while creating a personal connection that subverts the expectations and breaks perceived barriers for what a musician can create.
Existing currently is one of those oddities, New Zealand native Hans., a soft and melodic musician who understands the importance of reliability and the emotion behind sound. Combining real world soundscapes and the talent he graces every instrument he uses, a stunning nirvana of music is created, one which strips its listeners of pain, stress or worry for as long as possible.
Though, Hans. is now ready to take the next step in his career, ready to take the risks instrumentally and conceptually needed to bring his unique brand of relaxation and beauty to more ears than ever before.
PM: First question as always, How is your day going?
H: I’m just chilling man, been a little busy with uni assignments and stuff.
PM: To begin, what’s your favourite childhood memory? And why?
H: Probably playing football. When I was younger I was super passionate about footy, I played in goal and it was all I’d think about.
PM: Did where and how you grew up influence your sound and who you are today? In what ways were the most important?
H: I grew up in Kerikeri, it’s a super small town up north in New Zealand with probably around 6000 people. I’d say it influenced me in terms of being free, it’s very free up there with all the space but also the social environment, like all the people are super nice. It gave me the mentality to just really go for whatever I wanted, and that sort of freedom really translates into music. It’s kind of helped me branch out, try different styles as well as listen to a whole range of stuff too to draw inspiration from.
PM: Being based out of New Zealand, what do you find is the most important parts to being able to attract eyes to your work even though you live in a spot many may overlook?
H: I’d say authenticity. I just kind of do me, that sounds so corny but it’s the truth. I just stick to what I do best and what I feel most comfortable with, and hopefully people will gravitate to it over time.
PM: Onto music, your sound works heavily with aesthetics and moods, putting your audience into a state of relaxation and euphoria, is there a conscious decision to go after this feeling, or have you found it to be a reflection of who you are?
H: My output is always a reflection of me and where I am in life. I wouldn’t say I specifically go after a particular sound, it’s just that the sounds I’m probably most tied to are the ones that feel most natural to me.
PM: Are there any moments you hope your fans will have with your music?
H: I just want people to be able to enjoy my music. Whether they laugh, dance, cry, eating breakfast to it, whatever. The thought of someone enjoying my music means the world to me.
PM: How do you hope to continue growing as a musician? Are there avenues you want to keep exploring in your approach, instrumentation and sound?
H: I’d like to get into producing. At the moment my work is based solely on working with producers but in future I’d really like to get into making my own sounds as well. I also want to direct more music videos, my own and also maybe other peoples too. I really like the visual side of music, I think its super important.
PM: What are some of the major differences in working alone compared to with someone else like you did with Clairo on Froyo? Who are some other artists you wish to collaborate with and that you think you’d mesh well with?
For the Clairo collab it was really really chill, I just sent her the demo via email and she sent it back right away. She killed that shit!
In terms of working alone, there’s usually no feedback or interaction, its just you, so I like working with other people because you can get their insight and thoughts into things, and that helps better mould the song. That being said sometimes working alone is cool too, I like being alone here and there.
PM: You’re also unique in the fact you allow real sounds into your music, such as opening cans, rain etc., where did the inspiration for this come from and how do you believe it adds to your sound and aesthetic?
H: It just feels logical to use those sounds sometimes, also it makes the music way more fun! I’m pretty open to adding in whatever sounds that work.
PM: Do you have any releases coming soon that fans should look for? How will it differ from past work?
H: I have a video on the way, and then we’ll be shooting hopefully some more for another video in June… I’m also working on new songs, but that’s as much as I can say for now…
PM: And beyond releases, do you have any goals you’ve set for yourself in the coming year and if so, what are they and why are they important to complete?
H: I want to play lots and lots of shows! It’s my favourite part of music, meeting people and performing live. I don’t know, maybe an overseas show at some stage would be crazy!
PM: Is there anything or anyone you’d like to shout out or promote? The floor is yours…
H: Shoutout Reese’s peanut butter crunch chocolate bars. They’re really getting me through at the moment.