There are many factors that make electronic music a popular genre. It could be the sense of freedom it evokes, the ability to connect globally with a single beat, or its emotional power. For Wax Wings and Miha, techno is closer to darkness, which is why they use it as a medium to express their art and more immoral desires. After several projects together, they now come up with a collaborative EP focused on dark fantasies and hedonistic concepts called The Confession. We spoke to them about inspiration, the low-budget creative process they've been working with, and how they manage to convey the most hidden narratives of some queer people.
“There's nothing two queers with espresso martinis can't achieve,” says Miha. Complemented by a music video directed by William Kennedy, their triptych inseminates industrial basslines with ominous tempos and jagged rhythms. In it, a combination of lubed-up latex and sweat mix to create an allegory for cruising and casual encounters.
Hi! How are you? I imagine you're in full swing with the release of the EP, a lot of work. How are you managing it?
Wax: Great, thanks for having us! Excited to dive into the world of The Confession! It’s been a lot of work, but so rewarding. When you spin as many creative plates as I do, there is no choice but to have an intense strategy so everything falls into place. That being said, life always throws curveballs, doesn’t it? There have definitely been a few technical errors and lately the censorship problems have begun, but who gives a fuck! You’re bound to piss someone off, especially with a project like this.
Miha: Hi Metal! I try to stay sane amidst the current situation in the world; thank you for asking. To be honest, the whole EP release and everything surrounding it makes me feel grounded and optimistic. Workload has helped me momentarily forget about the ongoing injustices caused by politics that mostly hurt those they should protect. We definitely poured our sweat into this project, used a lot of lube, experienced some stomach ache, and created a few beautiful bruises along the way. Producing this EP has been the most incredible creative journey I've ever been on, and I’m eager to do it again.
Miha: Hi Metal! I try to stay sane amidst the current situation in the world; thank you for asking. To be honest, the whole EP release and everything surrounding it makes me feel grounded and optimistic. Workload has helped me momentarily forget about the ongoing injustices caused by politics that mostly hurt those they should protect. We definitely poured our sweat into this project, used a lot of lube, experienced some stomach ache, and created a few beautiful bruises along the way. Producing this EP has been the most incredible creative journey I've ever been on, and I’m eager to do it again.
Your collaboration has generated a lot of buzz in the London electronic music scene as you're both established artists. When did the idea come about? At what point did your paths cross?
Wax: Our paths crossed initially in the chaos of East London nightlife, and the idea of collaborating floated about for a while after I worked on a track for Miha’s solo project. I hadn't released any original music myself for a while and wanted to come back with a massive statement, so I reached out to Miha to work on a single. We went for cocktails and discussed an action plan; there is nothing two fags with espresso martinis can't accomplish. This conversation quickly—as it does—became a mega project with tons of crazy ideas.
Miha: I moved to London in the middle of the pandemic, just before Brexit. It was not the best time, and I give myself credit for having the balls to do it. It was at the first legal Inferno party, where I saw Wax for the first time. Our eyes met in a smoking area, and I was obsessed with his club kid vibes and later blown away with his DJ set. I clicked that follow button so fast and later approached him with a request for a remix of one of my songs. A few months later, we hinted at another collaboration. I wanted a song; he pushed for an EP. I’m truly honoured that he saw something in me. He is one of the many people that makes living in London exciting.
Miha: I moved to London in the middle of the pandemic, just before Brexit. It was not the best time, and I give myself credit for having the balls to do it. It was at the first legal Inferno party, where I saw Wax for the first time. Our eyes met in a smoking area, and I was obsessed with his club kid vibes and later blown away with his DJ set. I clicked that follow button so fast and later approached him with a request for a remix of one of my songs. A few months later, we hinted at another collaboration. I wanted a song; he pushed for an EP. I’m truly honoured that he saw something in me. He is one of the many people that makes living in London exciting.
Your collaboration has materialised with an EP called The Confession, which addresses through monolithic techno three queer narratives centred on hedonism, darkness, and this fine line between moral and immoral desire. What makes you explore such a strong theme from an artistic perspective? Do you think it is directly related to the freedom that this genre of music tends to convey?
Wax: I think everyone deep down has a curiosity for the forbidden. We've always been drawn to subversion and darker themes, and through our artistry we get permission to explore these immoral desires. Techno and electronic music lend themselves to harder and darker realms; paired with the genre of kink and horror, we had a limitless spiral of weird and dark to play with, however illicit. We built a world that complimented our fantasies, nightmares, and also a glimpse of our lived experiences.
Miha: Both of us have held these themes and ideas close to our hearts our whole lives, and it was immensely fun to unleash our creative juices on a project like this. Techno is a great genre, as I believe it aligns perfectly with hedonistic practices of BDSM. The freedom that any open-minded individual can experience on the dancefloor or in the darkroom could be incredibly therapeutic. I didn't learn this in Slovenia, as the scene there lacks the capacity for such experience. I struggled to find like-minded people, so working with Wax was refreshing. We didn’t need to spend too much time discussing what we wanted to communicate with this body of work. It just unfolded naturally because it felt so familiar and safe.
Miha: Both of us have held these themes and ideas close to our hearts our whole lives, and it was immensely fun to unleash our creative juices on a project like this. Techno is a great genre, as I believe it aligns perfectly with hedonistic practices of BDSM. The freedom that any open-minded individual can experience on the dancefloor or in the darkroom could be incredibly therapeutic. I didn't learn this in Slovenia, as the scene there lacks the capacity for such experience. I struggled to find like-minded people, so working with Wax was refreshing. We didn’t need to spend too much time discussing what we wanted to communicate with this body of work. It just unfolded naturally because it felt so familiar and safe.
William Kennedy directs the music video for What If I Told You To with a series of images focused on depicting the most forbidden desires, which complements Wax Wings directorial debut. How was the composition developed to convey that sense of climax?
Wax: The Confession was my directorial debut in a kind of narrative response to the album art and the characters from What If I Told You To. It has been said to feel like a prequel to the latter, which I quite like, although not intended. I think the use of tension was important; its undulating pace through the desolate streets of London, whilst Miha monologues over the repetitive and hypnotic throbbing of synth and powerful drums, edges you towards the explosive finish. With contrast, space to breathe, or silence, before hammering the next round of visual insanity, this is what captures that feeling of the climax. If The Confession is the prequel, then What If I Told You To is definitely a visual orgy at the end of the chase.
Miha: I think I laid the foundation for What If I Told You To about five years ago in Slovenia, where I started filming my first music video. Unfortunately, the project didn’t receive the blessing from the rest of the team, so it all went down the drain. I don’t think I was ready at that time, and I felt tormented by the outcome, but I still had the footage. I was disheartened, and I almost gave up on music altogether. Obviously, that didn’t happen, and we managed to use the footage at the right time. Trust the universe, people! The way that footage was filmed set the tone, and we wanted to build on that to create an incredibly rich video with many of our friends from the community. We ended up with a stunning visualiser full of familiar faces, fetish motifs, and sexy moments. The Confession film is much more structured and has a buildup leading to a climax and crescendo, mimicking a sexual journey.
Miha: I think I laid the foundation for What If I Told You To about five years ago in Slovenia, where I started filming my first music video. Unfortunately, the project didn’t receive the blessing from the rest of the team, so it all went down the drain. I don’t think I was ready at that time, and I felt tormented by the outcome, but I still had the footage. I was disheartened, and I almost gave up on music altogether. Obviously, that didn’t happen, and we managed to use the footage at the right time. Trust the universe, people! The way that footage was filmed set the tone, and we wanted to build on that to create an incredibly rich video with many of our friends from the community. We ended up with a stunning visualiser full of familiar faces, fetish motifs, and sexy moments. The Confession film is much more structured and has a buildup leading to a climax and crescendo, mimicking a sexual journey.
What essential element do you think should not be missing to evoke the essence of these concepts both musically and visually?
Wax: Juxtaposition. Although it’s dark and masochistic, I think there's a kind of mischief visually and musically. It’s that kind of feeling in a good horror movie when it’s dark or gory, but you just want to keep watching.
Miha: For me, the essential element is authenticity. Ensuring that the music and visuals resonate with genuine experiences of desire and identity is crucial. I wouldn’t feel comfortable singing about caning and choking on a techno track if I hadn’t tried it myself or had sex on the dancefloor while the techno beats provided the rhythm to bounce on the D. It’s all very personal and based on true experiences.
Miha: For me, the essential element is authenticity. Ensuring that the music and visuals resonate with genuine experiences of desire and identity is crucial. I wouldn’t feel comfortable singing about caning and choking on a techno track if I hadn’t tried it myself or had sex on the dancefloor while the techno beats provided the rhythm to bounce on the D. It’s all very personal and based on true experiences.
I also understand that it's a DIY project, built on your hard work and the participation of personalities from the UK electronic scene. How has the creative process been to bring out a project that, despite having a small budget, has a professional quality?
Wax: I’m from a working-class family, but I've always had expensive taste. It meant I had to work extra hard with what was available to me to achieve that fantasy, and I really learnt how to do many things myself in the process. It’s usually fun and ridiculous to make things yourself—especially on this mad project. We made the glory hole in the parking lot at the hardware store, the not-so-non-toxic black acrylic SFX. Shooting/editing a whole short film was wild. I figured to keep things dark and minimalist, simple yet effective; obscuring the fact I didn’t have a huge budget always seemed to work out. It also brought like-minded people together who want to create a vision for the love of doing so. I think we were lucky with how many people believed in our creativity and wanted to be a part of it, true community effort.
Miha: The DIY aspect was both challenging and rewarding, but without support from our community, I don’t think we would reach this professional quality. This project feels like a family gathering. Everyone brought their best dish to the table, and together we created a feast! I pushed myself to the limits to make this happen and to support every idea we had. There was a masochistic approach regarding the budget for me because I had to cut on a lot of regular fun. This project was my number one priority this year.
Miha: The DIY aspect was both challenging and rewarding, but without support from our community, I don’t think we would reach this professional quality. This project feels like a family gathering. Everyone brought their best dish to the table, and together we created a feast! I pushed myself to the limits to make this happen and to support every idea we had. There was a masochistic approach regarding the budget for me because I had to cut on a lot of regular fun. This project was my number one priority this year.
Without a doubt, it's a lewd production full of elements that manage to create an intense feeling and that sums up quite well the essence of both of you. How did you manage to find a balance that satisfies both of you and reflects your personalities?
Wax: Quite easily, actually; we’ve never had any resistance to each other's input throughout the whole process, which is rare on such a huge project. It’s been exciting to push ideas to their carnal limit, redo/remix/reinvent. Always drawn to the darker, more intense, and weirder parts of cinema and music, my influence definitely sought to push buttons in a devious, mischievous way. We both share very similar perspectives and enjoy all of the horror tropes that I think you see woven throughout the project.
Miha: This was the easiest part. I think we understand each other well, and there are no ego clashes between us. It’s so hard to find artists who aren't consumed by their egos. We compliment each other nicely, and I didn’t feel the need to fight for a spotlight. Wax allowed me to shine in my own way, and I did the same for him. It was an incredibly smooth collaboration because we both inhabit the same realm of darkness and weirdness.
Miha: This was the easiest part. I think we understand each other well, and there are no ego clashes between us. It’s so hard to find artists who aren't consumed by their egos. We compliment each other nicely, and I didn’t feel the need to fight for a spotlight. Wax allowed me to shine in my own way, and I did the same for him. It was an incredibly smooth collaboration because we both inhabit the same realm of darkness and weirdness.
The representation of desire focusses on the queer environment and is precisely a representation of the collective itself. Why did you decide to focus on this community for this project?
Wax: Queer people are sexy, powerful, and extreme—this project called for that, sure. But it wasn’t a contrived choice; we’re both from this community, and almost everyone involved was queer-identifying too.
Miha: It felt instinctive to centre our work around the queer community, given its frequent under-representation in mainstream narratives and our own queer identities. Yes, things are improving, but I still feel it is my duty to amplify voices that deserve to be heard and celebrated, including my own. This EP is for all my fellow sluts out there, and it serves as a love letter to myself and a big "fuck you’’ to everyone trying to silence and censor us.
Miha: It felt instinctive to centre our work around the queer community, given its frequent under-representation in mainstream narratives and our own queer identities. Yes, things are improving, but I still feel it is my duty to amplify voices that deserve to be heard and celebrated, including my own. This EP is for all my fellow sluts out there, and it serves as a love letter to myself and a big "fuck you’’ to everyone trying to silence and censor us.
Do you think it is important within the London nightlife scene to have this kind of representation through provocation?
Wax: I think we’re blessed to be in the London nightlife scene, where we are able to be openly ourselves, but this isn’t the same for most places. Queerness and queer sex have always been and continue to be subversive. In a world that demonises people for their sexual identity or gender expression and with fascism on the rise, just existing is a political statement. These films, appearing dark, derogatory, villainous, and monstrous, actually hold a real strength and freedom. We get that liberation here, and we have to show that this is us; we exist, and we get to choose who we love and what we do with our bodies.
Miha: Yes, even though I think London has a strong foundation when it comes to fetish culture. We have so many incredible venues, and London is a fantastic city for exploring your desires. London has given me the chance to fully embrace my sexuality. I've explored various fetish and techno venues here and met the most amazing people. They've shown me the path to self-love and how to embrace your mind, body, and true self.
Miha: Yes, even though I think London has a strong foundation when it comes to fetish culture. We have so many incredible venues, and London is a fantastic city for exploring your desires. London has given me the chance to fully embrace my sexuality. I've explored various fetish and techno venues here and met the most amazing people. They've shown me the path to self-love and how to embrace your mind, body, and true self.
What can we expect from Wax Wings and Miha in the future?
Wax: You really think we just left the project like that? We will be back in 2025 with the final piece of the puzzle—Moan. A cinematic short film inspired by the final track on the EP as our climactic finish.This year has been incredibly transformative. I have loved world-building during this project so much so that I think the previous model of releasing a single without a visual counterpart will be a thing of the past. Whether it be on my personal project or collaborations, I’ve set a new standard, and I’m excited for this audiovisual madness to keep growing.
Miha: I’m currently craving a small break to recharge my batteries, but at the same time, I’m already plotting my next musical endeavor. For now my ass is in desperate need of some spanking, cuddles, and then when I have had enough of it, I will be ready for Moan.
Miha: I’m currently craving a small break to recharge my batteries, but at the same time, I’m already plotting my next musical endeavor. For now my ass is in desperate need of some spanking, cuddles, and then when I have had enough of it, I will be ready for Moan.
