Transcendent singer-songwriter and producer, Pixey, has shared ‘I’m Just High’, a sleek, edgy, groove-laden summer anthem, taken from forthcoming mini-album, ‘Dreams, Pains & Paper Planes,’ out on 30th September. ‘I’m Just High’ received its worldwide radio premiere on the Future Sounds show on BBC Radio 1 last night with Clara Amfo. ‘One of the UK’s shiniest new stars’ has created a summer anthem that combines a euphoric chorus and funk-laden riffs with her signature breakbeat samples to create another slice of 90s inspired dream-pop magic.
Pixey takes you through dreamy psychedelic wonderlands with sass, honesty and verve in her latest single. Speaking of the music video she said, “I remember having a clear concept of how I wanted the music video to be… I wanted the verses to feel claustrophobic and constrained, with the choruses breaking free into a fantastical and unrealistic world always coming back to reality.” She said that director, Dan Broadley, “took my concept and elevated it to a level I couldn’t have predicted & we shot on the hottest day on record, which was definitely a challenge!” Watch here:
‘I’m Just High’ follows previous mini-album teasers, ‘Recycled Paper Planes,’ and ‘Come Around (Sunny Day)’ .
Pixey said, ‘I’m Just High’ is a track I wrote, recorded and co-produced between time in the studio and my own bedroom. The track itself is a double entendre. I like to put my own experiences into my music and I feel like this song is probably one of my most honest songs to date. I hope people can find some comfort in the song, I always like to write upbeat, groovy beats to personal struggles I’m still figuring out.”
Her forthcoming mini-album, ‘Dreams, Pains & Paper Planes,’ will be Pixey’s first longer project since the shimmering ‘Sunshine State ‘ EP arrived in October 2021, which followed her celebrated early 2021 debut EP, ‘Free To Live In Colour ‘whose title track was crowned ‘Tune Of The Week’ by Jack Saunders on BBC Radio 1.
Just like Grimes, the majority of Pixey’s work was impressively written, recorded and produced by the artist herself in her bedroom, alongside a couple of studio tracks. In 2016, she suffered a near fatal viral illness which proved to be the catalyst for her musical awakening, Pixey said,
“When I thought I was going to die I thought of all the things I wish I’d done and music was the first thing I thought of. As soon as I started recovering I started learning to record and produce.” She taught herself Ableton production software before mastering guitar and eventually drums and bass after her previous (and current) boyfriend(s) left their instruments lying around to prove she could learn it quicker and play it better.
Once able to carve out her own sound, Pixey turned to The Verve, The Prodigy and De La Soul for sonic inspiration, adding, “I particularly like the idea of using samples/making my own riffs sound like samples which was heavily inspired by the De La Soul album ‘3 Feet High and Rising.’ Starting out initially though, Grimes was a huge catalyst when I realised she wrote, recorded & produced herself.” Her prolific and unusual song writing style stems from an original riff or beat, with further layers added as she records and produces, and lyrics being added last – the process taking only a day or two.
Speaking of her upcoming record, ‘Dreams, Pains & Paper Planes;’ Pixey said, “Genre-bending was something I wanted to experiment with, tailoring to the moods of each song but still keeping to the core big beat elements. I wanted to write a record that kept a sunny sound but was more anxious lyrically. More than anything, I want the listener to feel like they can dip into an alternate world for a while, whether it’s comforting or not”.
Pixey has just been confirmed to provide the official 22/23 season Premier League titles for BT Sport’s coverage, for every match throughout the entire season, with her cover of The Charlatans’ ‘One To Another,’ in collaboration with Mint Royale.
Earlier this year, she joined labelmate Alfie Templeman on his spring headline tour of sold-out venues across the country, including an enthralling night at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. Pixey has just kicked off a summer of festivals including Truck, Tramlines, Y Not, and more.
‘Dreams, Pains & Paper Planes‘ is out on 30th September on Chess Club Records. Pre-order Dreams, Pains & Paper Planes HERE
See Pixey live in 2022:
July
30th – Y Not? Festival, Derbyshire
August
6th – Bingley Weekender, Bingley
14th – 110 Above Festival, Leicester
September
10th – Confessional Music And Arts Festival, Blackburn
