Vitesse X is an electronic music producer from the US. Having originally started in music in New York, playing in bands and spinning records as a DJ, she pursued a solo career to explore her sense of self. With a focus on the sense of euphoria that comes from the dance floor, her music pursues the sense of opportunity and possibility that comes from losing yourself, communally and collectively, within music.
Taking inspiration from early electronic music, like Kraftwerk’s Tour de France, 90s rave and ambient techno give Vitesse X’s music a feel that combines the mechanical with an emotive sense of humanity. The sound evokes in me the “emotional technology” of BT, and the progressive tech trance of UK label Platipus.
Right Now itself brings together these electronic sounds into something accessible, whilst retaining a progressive sensibility. Starry-eyed synth melodies encircle Vitesse X’s vocal as she depicts a moment of purity and presence. Loose electronic percussion and guitars give the song s lived-in feel, whilst the whole track accelerates with a sense of movement.
Vitesse X’s inspiration for the track came from a trip overseas, which saw her hike up a mountain to watch the sunrise:
“For me, there has always been something so pure, grounding, spiritual even, about being alone in nature, watching the dawn break. When I got back, I decided I wanted to start a song by imagining myself back in this place, and to just soundtrack the moment. When I listen back to this song, I see that it is about reclaiming the current moment amidst the constant go-go-go. Fighting against the addiction to the race, to get back to the now.”
The result is a meditative tribute to taking a moment to be, to experience and reflect.
For the music video, Vitesse X looked to recreate the experience that inspired Right Now, only this time at the end of the day, rather than the beginning:
“I decided to take a trip out to Montauk on a cold weekend in January, with just a couple of old cameras at hand. I really wanted to capture and re-experience those tranquil moments of solitude in nature. At the same time, I knew I needed to do something out of my comfort zone in order to give the most honest and raw emotion that I could. So, once the sun set, I decided to completely strip down and go jump in the 40 degree water. It was definitely not enjoyable, but once I got out, I couldn’t stop laughing. I realized I had honored my song in the highest way possible, breaking through all of my discomfort in order to experience the present moment in its truest form.”