Xander Harris
Austin native Justin Sweatt used the name Xander Harris for his suspenseful yet playful electronic music equally indebted to '80s horror film soundtracks, Italo-disco, and darkwave. His acclaimed 2011 debut, Urban Gothic, was a low-budget approximation of a vintage horror soundtrack, evoking moments of terror while maintaining a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. He further refined his sound with ambitious full-lengths such as 2013's The New Dark Age of Love and 2018's Villains of Romance.
A veteran of various noise and shoegaze projects since the early 2000s, Sweatt adopted the Harris moniker in tribute to a character from the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and began releasing music under the name in 2011, starting with the Contamination cassette. Shortly after, Los Angeles label Not Not Fun released Harris' full-length debut, Urban Gothic, which was inspired by Brian Keene's novel of the same title. The album was very well received, eventually charting in FACT's Top 50 albums of the year. NNF's dance offshoot 100% Silk released a 12" single featuring an extended disco mix of the album's single "I Want More Than Just Blood." In 2012, Harris appeared on a split 7" single with Dylan Ettinger, released by Moon Glyph. He also released a cassette album titled Chrysalid and a digital album called Snow Crash (which was later released on vinyl by French label Desire Records).
Harris returned to Not Not Fun in 2013 with his ambitious full-length The New Dark Age of Love. He also digitally released an EP titled Black Moon as well as an "Ultimate Edition" of Urban Gothic, including numerous additional songs from the album's sessions. In 2014, Mogwai's Rock Action label released Harris' 7" single "Cry Havoc." Two years later, the label released his full-length California Chrome. Termination Dust was released by Data Airlines in 2017, followed by Villains of Romance, issued by Burning Witches in 2018. At the end of 2018, Sweatt retired the Xander Harris moniker and began recording as J Sweatt.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo
Discography
13 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
-
Cry Havoc / Heathen Birth
Electronic - Released by Rock Action Records on Sep 29, 2014
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Termination Dust
Dance - Released by Data Airlines on Apr 30, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Villains Of Romance
Film Soundtracks - Released by Burning Witches Records on Mar 24, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Urban Gothic
Alternative & Indie - Released by Not Not Fun on Apr 5, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Villians of Romance
Dance - Released by Vapid Technology Institute on Jun 11, 2018
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
California Chrome
Electronic - Released by Rock Action Records on Sep 23, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
The Driver / Tipoff
Alternative & Indie - Released by Moon Glyph on Apr 10, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The New Dark Age of Love
Electronic - Released by Not Not Fun on Apr 2, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Want More Than Just Blood
Electronic - Released by 100% Silk on May 10, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Contamination
Dance - Released by Vapid Technology Institute on Jun 1, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo