The Anix Pushes the Envelope with His “Cut Me” Single Premiere

The ’90s were an incredible decade in music, and it’s nice that even today’s artists are acknowledging that, like The Anix with his brand new album NIGHTVISION. While the album doesn’t drop until June 2nd, via FiXT Music, Brandon Smith, the musician and producer behind this project, has dropped the new single “Cut Me” today, along with a cool, computerized visualizer video.

Heavy in tone and sound but refined in its production, “Cut Me” is one part electronic rock, another industrial, and another ’90s alternative rock. The Anix is a project that has become known for its boundary-pushing in terms of sound and scope, and his genre-bending is well-known to fans of the project, but he takes it one step further on this new record with its confluence of influences.

Discussing the track, Smith tells us:

“‘Cut Me’ is my newest single from the upcoming album NIGHTVISION, exploring more of a minimal and stripped, but heavy sound. I was influenced by ’90s rave and techno culture when creating the bass and drum sounds, but wanted to drench the listener in melancholy by using these higher range synths and guitar parts which sound almost like they are crying.

“The song is based on a true story, of two married people who were having an affair, but could not break their marriages to be together. They had such passion for each other that they decided to take each other’s lives, so they could ultimately be together forever, and finally get out of their situations at home. I’ve been in a similar situation with someone who always said they wanted to murder me and consume my body because that was the only way they could keep me forever.

“The song is based on a true story, of two married people who were having an affair, but could not break their marriages to be together.”

“The song clearly has a dark underlying message about love and passion, but with a powerful music background to balance out the mood, and continue the theme of the album of Infinite sadness + infinite power.”

There are lots of ’90s throwbacks contained on this record, with one in particular that will be embraced with open arms by fans of the electronic rock of that era. Smith took on the challenge of covering the Björk industrial classic “Army of Me,” a song that fits in very well with what he was trying to accomplish musically, but certainly, a track that is no picnic to redo and do it justice. There is also a guest appearance from Failure drummer Kellii Scott on the track  “Vitamin D.”

Infinite sadness + infinite power is the record’s general vibe, a bittersweet approach, with emotive songs and lyrics that cover the whole range of human emotions. NIGHTVISION will again reinforce why Smith has become regarded as a boundary pusher in his own right and also why the ’90s remain such a powerful influence on the artists of today.

The Anix ‘NIGHTVISION’ album artwork