Written in Partnership with Amir Bakian
“If all you are is what you do, then how can you ever be?” is at the core of HOAX’s long awaited debut concept album “b?”, now LIVE on all streaming platforms. Focused on the concept of ‘being’, HOAX challenges the way that we define ourselves and therefore, the energy that we put out into the universe. Living in a Capitalist society, we are so accustomed to tell people what we do for a living as soon as we introduce ourselves. But what if it didn’t have to be like that? What if – we got to know someone first through their interests, hobbies and overall personality before we knew anything about their job? Impressively, the duo deliver a simple truth boiled down to a quiet realization. As human beings, we wear masks to shield us but also, to write our desired narrative as opposed to allowing others to see the real us. And the concept of ‘being’ requires being present, which for a tech-driven society overwhelmed with creative content….the idea of sitting still and ‘being’ proves challenging. One half of HOAX, artist Michael Raj, says that “as the album developed, it became clear to me that “being” is synonymous with peace. They explore the concept of being vs doing in a variety of narratives, leaving listeners on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Brilliantly balancing a motown meets alternative R&B driven sound, HOAX refers to their music as “the beautiful sound of sadness”, thematically focused on the human condition, explorations of social constructs and the decisions that people make with their lives.
Stream “b”? on Spotify here & visit HOAX on Instagram for updates.
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