‘Demo Tape’ allows us to get in on the ground floor of a project that’s been a long time in the works, now starting to get the recognition it deserves. Hailing from Edinburgh, Maakhe champions an intoxicating DIY indie pop ethos, oscillating between intimate, retro-flavoured territories and playful leftfield influences. The result of such an eclectic artistic outlook is rather nuanced and personal, the perfect aural vehicle for Maakhe’s cathartic, expressive storytelling.
We are not the only ones noticing the goodness behind ‘Demo Tape’, with BBC Introducing in Scotland recently featuring the record on their programming. The release features two distinct singles, ‘Prees’ and ‘Minfla’, both with a precise, modern personality. If ‘Prees’ feels contemporary and kaleidoscopic – tinged with soulful pop and minimalistic electronica – ‘Minfla’ embarks on a more evocative, elegant path, with relatable, emotional vocals drenched in vintage drum machines and uplifting guitars.
Overall, there’s a constant tension between sonic minimalism and lyrical melancholia, a feature that makes ‘Demo Tape’ an intense and fractured listening experience; you should take your time with it, fully absorbing everything Maakhe has to offer. Intrigued by the project, we caught up with the Edinburgh-based musician to learn more about his artistic journey… Interview below!
Hey Maakhe, how is it going? Thanks for chatting with us! You are a relatively new creative figure in the British music industry; what are your major inspirations? How motivated are you?
Hi 🙂 It’s going well, and thanks for the opportunity. My inspiration has always been music that feels intimate, personal and vulnerable. Ed Sheeran comes to mind; I learned guitar by playing songs from his first album. Songwriting and production came later, as I discovered guys like Tom Misch and Sampha.
Your current work is the result of a long journey. What first drew you to making music?
I think I found it therapeutic, without knowing why or how it worked. For a long time, I was a perfectionist, trying to learn all the music theory I could and all the guitar playing techniques there are. I thought I could crack the code and understand why music made me feel the way it did. But the more I learned, the less I understood.
Before diving into your upcoming release, I’d love to ask you about ‘Hope’, your debut effort released in 2024. The track gives us a strong glimpse of your ‘nostalgic indie’ character, yet it also showcases all the nuance and intensity in your songwriting and vocal tone. Have things changed since ‘Hope’ was released? Have you been writing music in the meantime?
I’m really proud of ‘Hope’, it didn’t get the marketing it deserved because I spent so long figuring out how distribution worked and stuff like that. Since then, I’ve mainly been exploring and redesigning my older unreleased songs. I think I’m becoming less critical of myself.
‘Prees’ and ‘Minfla’ can be found in your latest record ‘Demo Tape’, and showcase your commitment to developing a sound that’s contemporary and fresh, yet familiar and heartwarming. Are you proud of how the tracks turned out? Did you have a particular reference in mind when writing them?
I’m very happy with how they turned out. They were actually mostly finished before ‘Hope’, but I wasn’t happy with them at the time. Listening back, I realised how expressive and entertaining they are. In terms of references, I remember having at least Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers and Charli XCX in mind while producing.
From a lyrical standpoint, what do the songs mean to you? Widening the question: is there a specific topic you usually like to write about?
The songs tend to start as poems about mine or someone else’s love life. I think all songs are about love and its different forms. Self-love, family and friends, romance, compassion for the world, etc. My songs are usually a bit melancholy, and I used to feel self-conscious about not being able to write happy stuff. But it is what it is, init!
Do you feel more confident writing music alone or within a team?
Definitely alone. I wanted to be in a band for the longest time, and I’ve been in some, but nothing has really stuck. Maybe growing up as an only child has something to do with it. To be honest, I see myself writing and producing for other people in the future. I don’t think I have the energy to be touring and performing all the time.
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
As I’ve become an independent adult, who has to buy his own food and pay his own bills, it’s become harder to find the time to be creative. And my creativity can feel really destructive sometimes. For instance, I won’t eat for a whole day because I’m working on version 7 of a mix. So, trying to reintroduce creativity in my life safely has been THE challenge.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
I have many songs in various stages of completion, so I want to put out a longer mixtape to get them all out. It’s going to take time, though. I’m thinking of releasing a song every couple of months, Oh Wonder style, and having a finished project by 2027.
