Justin Sweatt : North Texas Electric

Justin Sweatt has been making forward-thinking electronic music for well over a decade. He first began making electronic music as Xander Harris, releasing a collection of classic electronic music that ranged from darkly illuminated techno to hazy ambient to 80s-inspired synth pop with a touch of 70s German electronic pioneers for good measure. But then […]

Complex Distractions Presents : Favorite Albums Of 2023(Ambient/New Age/Drone Edition)

Well we have made it yet to another year-end list season. It’s been a long-ish year for me, but there has been plenty to soundtrack the angst-y days and anxiety nights. What do I do to cope with the mental anguish and shadowy unknowns? Well, I listen to music. I exercise as well, but the […]

Xander Harris : Malediction

The return of Justin Sweatt’s nom de plume Xander Harris is always something to celebrate. I’ve been following the musical world of Xander Harris for some time. At least six years, ever since hearing the amazing Termination Dust and realizing I’d been missing out on something special. The following year Villains of Romance dropped and […]

Justin Sweatt : Permian Tapes Vol. 2

Justin Sweatt has covered a lot of musical ground over the last decade plus. Hazy Komische to sweaty dance floor bangers to cosmic synth drifts to pastoral ambient trips, Sweatt approaches them all like a composer telling a story through sound. And for a large swath of that time he worked under the moniker Xander […]

Justin Sweatt : When The Light Goes

Justin Sweatt is a weary traveler in this world. He looks around with an artist’s heart and a writer’s mind, capturing what he sees and interprets it through electronic music. Sweatt might consider himself a cynic, but I’d say he’s more of a stoic. The bitter of life doesn’t escape him, but he doesn’t let […]

Revisited : Justin Sweatt’s ‘Say Your Goodbyes’

This album was originally reviewed back in March of 2018. Justin Sweatt self-released Say Your Goodbyes digitally via his Bandcamp page. It is now getting a physical release courtesy of Night Rhythms Recordings out of Austin, Texas. The album is Justin’s first album released under his own name, as opposed to his former stage name […]

A Few Words On Justin Sweatt(and the independent artist)

There’s some of us out here in the world that may have had dreams of being a full-time artist, part-time employee. You know, the kind of artist that says the hell with “getting a real job”, as your factory-working uncle tells you at the family reunion each year. Or the weird truck driver that lingers […]

Justin Sweatt : Say Your Goodbyes

Sometimes taking on an alias or persona can be a comforting thing, especially when you’re an artist. The moat and wall defense of a different name other than yours can give someone a sense of protection. It allows them to be more daring artistically and creatively than if they were standing before you, birth name […]

The Musical World of Xander Harris : A Conversation with Justin Sweatt

By J. Hubner Photo by Victoria Renard Photography In just a very short amount of time the music of artist Xander Harris, known to friends, family, and his high school Marching Band instructor as Justin Sweatt, has made a pretty huge impression on me. Starting with his most recent album, 2017s Transmission Dust, then working […]