Let's Get To Know eLxAr
eLxAr is a multi layered project from Italian artists L & A based around music creation, graphic artworks and video game development.
L - Pianist, pixel artist, game and narrative designer, C# coder and Unity game developer.
A - Academic artistic background and in charge of every main artwork. Has a knack for poetry and singing.
Where did you grow up?
L :
Does “in the world” count as an answer? I was born in Firenze (Florence) and lived there until I was 12. We then moved abroad to Malta where I lived until I turned 18. Since then I have moved in between many different cities all around Italy every 3-4 years.
A :
I was born in Focsani (Romania), and lived there until I was 5 when my mother took me with her to Italy, and since then, I’ve stayed here.
What is one of the first songs you remember liking as a kid?
L :
I used to listen to tons of Italian music as a kid. My parents had this super cool old vinyl player in the living room, so I would just sit in front of the speakers for hours listening to tracks by Adriano Celentano, Gianni Morandi. Massimo Ranieri or Mina. Italy had some absolutely outstanding singers at that time. I also really like a hybrid “classical/dance” band/orchestra called “Rondò Veneziano”. Even to this day I can’t recommend their music enough.
A :
The first songs I heard are the most precious and the most painful! I first heard them on the day I left Romania, leaving behind my grandparents, especially my grandfather, who raised me! It was starting to snow, and in the car stereo, there was a tape with dance music like “ONE AND ONE" by Robert Miles and “MISSING" by Everything But The Girl which, even today, I listen to and sing from time to time.
What influenced you to get into music?
L :
This is an interesting question because I actually have a double answer for it. When I was a kid and decided to start learning an instrument, the answer would definitely be “nothing”. I just really loved music and wanted to be able and play it. A couple of years ago, my rebirth as a musician was due to need and kind of casual. The job situation here in Italy is pretty dire, and I found myself in the situation of either creating a job for myself or starving to death. So, I decided to get into video game development since it was something I always wanted to do as a kid but never had the chance to. After studying design, pixel art, coding and how to use a game engine, I found myself in need of music but with no money to buy it. Even though I still had a repulsion towards music, I forced myself into learning production and guess what? I found out that being able to compose and produce my own music with no one stressing me out all the time was pretty fun! So I kept doing it more and more.
A :
Definitely L. :P
At what age did you start playing/singing?