Late last year, producer Makzo released his solo EP Anecdotes. Without any features, the project was 100% solo. Now, six months later, Makzo is back with his full-length debut, Wanderlust, and this time around he's bringing his friends. Featuring familiar Chillhop names like Leavv, Aarigod, The Kount, Hanz, and many others, his LP is a ten song family affair. A summertime party. A wander through the woods, seeking and welcoming the unknown.

Ask The Artist

How long did you work on Wanderlust?

Wanderlust took just over 6 months to finish, however the album wasn’t an album at first, and I did not have plans for one at the time. It started with a couple of lone tracks that had a fairly similar vibe to them – I believe it was "Safe Haven" and "Tether" that were the first two – and that inspired me to continue on to make a full project.

What pushed you to collaborate with many producers to create the album?

Aside from my general love of collaboration, one of the biggest factors that drove me to work with so many producers was a feeling of isolation I experienced during the COVID-19 lockdown. I had this persistent feeling of Wanderlust. I wanted nothing more than to travel the world, meet new people and make music. Of course, we’ve always been able to collaborate remotely, but I still wanted to make more of a statement regarding the cosmopolitan nature of the album. In the process, I got to work with some of my favorite beatmakers from all over the globe.

What do you hope people will take away from listening to it?

The true meaning of Wanderlust isn’t just a strong desire to travel or escape, it encompasses so much more. It also means to venture into the unknown, to face challenges you cannot anticipate, to get familiar with unfamiliarity, all in this case to break habits, take sonic detours, and explore new possibilities.

While listening to the album, I hope that people can experience a part of what I experienced while making it. Each collaborator brings a unique sound to the table, with their own artistry, techniques and inspirations. The Wanderlust album is the unified result of how they have all influenced me and the Makzo project. I don’t want you to notice it, I just want you to feel it.

Which song/s of the album are you mostly attached to and why?

The track that I’m most attached to is the first one called "Viatecture", made with my friend and very talented producer Leavv from Germany. I was a huge fan of Leavv’s previous project “Tales of a Flowing Forest”, and it was a thrill to work with him. His composition and instrumentation are always flawless, and he has a way of making such simple nuances sound so intentional. Our track on my album is no exception. I love the simple crisp drums, the peaceful piano and guitar. The tune is topped off by a shimmering saxophone solo by none other than my dad! Interestingly, the word Viatecture means “the art of making roads or ways for traveling, including the construction of bridges, canals, viaducts, etc”. I hope Wanderlust will serve as a bridge to new musical destinations, cultures and communities.

Thank you for listening!