The Artist Explains: Zanski - 'Hauntology'
In anticipation of his "Consequence" EP, we caught up with Canadian artist Zanski to chat about his single "Hauntology" and the project as a whole.
Your track ‘Hauntology’ is out now, which you mention "explores existential anxiety, meaninglessness, and in the face of absurdity gives itself to resolve by saying ‘so what?’" Can you speak any more to that?
I think it comes down to how I try and deal with existential themes and exist among them - it’s an exercise in Absurdist philosophy (re: Albert Camus), that chooses to rebel against the crushing existential dread rather than leave it as a depressing certainty.
Taken from your forthcoming EP 'Consequence', what are the overarching themes for this track and the project overall?
The track is a self-reflection on my personal emotional struggles and a sort of anthem in how I accept them and move forward. Self-acceptance and validation have been a powerful tool for me to understand my own limitations, and how to navigate around them to be the best person I can be.
How would you describe it sonically in comparison to previous projects?
The EP definitely strays from the specific electronic-RnB sound I had on the last EP, and moves it more into a part indie-RnB, part psychedelic, part indie-folk vibe; I messed around with tons of layers, mixed with noise and artefacts, to give everything a human feeling. I wanted to give it a specific mood as if you found the album in a dusty, mysterious old collection. I definitely tried things that are a little unorthodox when it comes to mixing, like cutting all the top end off of ‘Upon Frigid Water’, or putting a phaser on the master on ’Threes’ in the outro.
With music discovery predominantly lacking territory thanks to the internet, do you feel that being from Canada influences your music?
To an extent, everything is so internationally-based now that it feels as though I have a constant stream of inspiration at all times that isn’t ever really local. I appreciate where I live and my environment, while at the same time try to disconnect to be able to stave off any ovately derivative notions that may come up from being too pigeon-holed into one source of inspiration.
What do you hope your listeners take from 'Hauntology’?
Most people wouldn’t know of my internal strifes and struggles if I didn’t put them into my music. I think that it’s so important to realize that so many people may feel like this, but not have an outlet to express it in the way that they wish. I want people to have something that they can use to mirror their own internal struggles and feel okay sitting and reflecting on them. I hope I reach someone with this music and hope that they feel at least marginally better or more understood by its existence.