HOAX are an indie-pop band from Houston, Texas and is the musical child of Michael Raj and Frantz Cesar. Their melting pot of influences shines through in their work, with their musical offerings taking inspiration from 60’s pop, 70’s Motown, and alternative R&B. These influences are wrapped up melancholy and executed with their own vision.
HOAX’s new release ‘b?’ is a concept album that follows the journey of characters that have been thrown together after a tragedy. The entire concept behind the album is exploring the idea of “BEING.”
“b?” is a musically diverse, 17-track album. Tracks such as ‘soju’ use minimalistic ideas to present an infectious tune. Synths play a simple melody and marry well with a gracefully played guitar. On top lies soft vocals that present irresistible melodies, turning the tune into a chilled out pop gem. However, tracks such as “Trees” present a wealth of heartwarming synths that create a thick texture and a larger-than-life sound. Whereas title track ‘b?’ is indie-rock daring with it’s chorus-soaked guitars.
Talking about the new album, Michael Raj shares:
“Behind all the facades we put up, under all the masks we wear – there we are: Ourselves in Being form. It used to be very hard for me to explain what it meant ‘to be’ to other people. And believe me – I know I am not original in this line of questioning. For God’s sake, we all know what Shakespeare said through Hamlet, but as the album developed, it became clear to me that ‘being’ is synonymous with ‘peace’. And that peace looks different in everyone’s mirror. It starts with self-reflection, and never ends with anything other than life devotion to your truest form. I’ve said it so many times throughout our career, but if there is anything you take away from listening to HOAX and this album, it’s to please prioritize your peace. We are only here for a moment in the blip of infinity, and during that blink, our peace and being will always be under the scrutiny of the randomness and chaos of life. Perfect the art of sitting still, to know yourself, show and embody empathy, and be authentic to your peace.”
A track-by-track commentary from Michael Raj can be viewed here.
With such emphasis on bringing topics such as human condition, explorations of social constructs, and the decisions people into conversation. It’s clear to see that HOAX aren’t your average pop band, and with much more material in the works, we can’t wait to see where they’ll take this.
