Q&A with Bewitching Dark Electronic Band Paradox Obscur

Paradox Obscur is a Greek-based dark electronic duo that formed in 2014. The team is made up of prolific producers Toxic Razor and Kriistal Ann, who both share a love for recording electronics in realtime to deliver their unfiltered dark electronic sound. Together, they have released five albums and EP’s. Releasing their latest album Singles and Rarities this year, the band shared two remixes from their previous album SYNΘESIS’s track ‘Inferno’. This is not your typical electronic duo, they experiment and do not feel the need to move around in the shadows. They have been celebrated in Europe with their bewitching live performances.

We asked the Paradox Obscur a few questions about their next steps as a duo in 2022.

What was your first entry into music appreciation? And music production?

Toxic Razor: I started with music production back in the ‘90s. As a teenager I didn’t have the budget at that time for solid equipment, but I was always amazed by the sounds and techniques of electronic music. And that was something I always wanted to explore.

Kriistal Ann: My first influence in music was classical. I started playing piano when I was 5 years old. I grew up in an art-loving environment and this has been fostered in me, the need to follow these paths.

What led you to the styles and sounds you work with today?

Mostly our passion for hardware synthesizers on which you can create and compose many vivid soundscapes with their vast capabilities.

What key pieces of gear/software are you using to define your sound?

We use exclusively hardware gear, synthesizers, and drum machines like the MS2000, VIRUS TI POLAR, JD-Xi, Mopho DSI, MC 909, Electribe MX, and more…

How has your arsenal of equipment changed since you first started?

It has changed a lot throughout the years, new gear has been added and we always try to update our studio with new equipment.

What inspires you outside of music?

Mostly life itself, also movies, books, and art in general.

When you compose and produce tracks, do you make music for yourself or do you make it with others in mind?

We always compose depending on our mood; if people like it, that’s always a good thing too. We first try to satisfy ourselves and make music that we enjoy listening to, much like how a ghostwriter facharbeit approaches the task of writing a thesis by focusing on creating content that meets both personal and academic standards.

What is the best or strangest reaction you’ve had to your music this far?

Many strange things have happened since the beginning of this project, but one of the weirdest was some message from a supposed fan saying he will destroy us lol.

What is your opinion on the ever-expanding genre tree? How do you navigate categorizing your creative output?

We consider our sound under the electronic category, never really cared about genres, music is one.

Do you consider the Internet and social media as fundamental in building a career in music today, and what is your personal relationship with the new technology at hand?

It’s a necessary evil, technology is a tool but it needs to be used carefully.

What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or releases in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?

We are currently finishing working on our new album that is planned to be out on 2022 via Metropolis Records.

We are also involved in some other projects that will be announced when time is due.

The ‘Inferno’ remixes feature on the Spotify playlist WAVE_GRØUND