Drain Gang Merch Men's T-Shirt Size S-2XL

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ECCO2K: I’ve gotten into it a few times. They know how to do it in Asia. I’ve enjoyed it there. I sing “Like a G6” every time.

ECCO2K: Usually, you think it’s going well because you’re seeing numbers and statistics. You don’t ever really see what that means until you go somewhere, perform, and see all the people who are listening to the music. All you have to do is look someone in the eye and say hello. You can tell it’s a really big deal to them.

Although each artist in the group has a distinct sound, and each member’s respective albums are stages in an ongoing metamorphosis, their collective discography shares certain qualities: hyper-artificial instrumentation influenced by video game culture and trap; atmospheric reverb that simulates a sensation of depth; vocals smothered in Auto-Tune, and often delivered in falsetto, mumbles, whispers, or shrieks; and lyrics that center on the suffering and elation of what it means to be alive and online in the modern world. BLADEE: For me, playing a show is completely different from the music. I don’t necessarily associate it with anything else we do. ECCO2K: An existential and spiritual component has been present since the beginning, but that perspective is really taking off in the newer work. We believe you can create your own spiritual relationship, and you don’t necessarily have to follow any school of thought or religion or philosophy. You can create your own language and belief systems and makeup your own form of expression. [That] doesn’t make it any less valid. At the end of the day, it’s all just something someone said. Nobody really knows more than anybody else about these things. This idea gives you a lot of freedom, because you don’t have to take any of these perspectives or ideas too seriously. Whatever makes sense to you, you can make your own. Drain Gang(formerly known asGravity Boys Shield Gang) is an artistic collective, focusing on music and fashion. I’ve really only heard a few projects–a few artists, who are at this visibility level, who are so beyond the help that Auto-Tune can provide .... I guess this album does have a certain awkward-European-who-sits-around-all-day-getting-high-with-his-friends-and-consuming-American-media-through-the-internet appeal to it .... I will commend Bladee on one thing with this record, though: this album, and his sound in general, would be nearly impossible to parody .... There’s no way to tease a funny moment out of it by making a worse-sounding version.

You’ll know you’re going the right way when you pass a huddle of e-girls smoking on the curb, donning ushankas and platform moon boots, with eyeliner sharp enough to pass as a weapon. They’ve been waiting here hours before doors – not for any gain, as such, but for the pilgrimage. BLADEE: You get tired of hearing yourself. Even if I’m not talking from my own perspective, or am talking about something that never happened, those feelings are still real. The lyrics are like painting a picture. You want to make it look nice—you want to decorate it. There’s always a core idea that’s based in truth, but it’s more about the feeling that it gives. I think you can always hear when something is true, like in its essence. BLADEE: We push each other, if anything. What’s the best thing you can make that you haven’t been able to achieve? That’s always the goal.Benjamin Reichwald (born 9 April 1994), known professionally as Bladee (pronounced blade or blade-ee), is a Swedish rapper, record producer, designer and member of the artistic collective Drain Gang. His music is characterised by heavily Auto-Tuned vocals, ethereal textures, and experimental qualities. CG: The other day, I came across a cheesy self-help book called Effortless, which reminded me of you. The thesis is that, even though we think we need to painstakingly agonize over the things we create, our best work is effortless. Everything Drain Gang does looks effortless. But does it feel effortless? Given their warp-speed collaborations with one another, with an album from at least one member being dropped each year, it’s a testament to the unseen forces of the internet that the first time Drain Gang share a stage together is on a world tour. For fans, this show is of religious gravity. Forget the stage: the merch stand is the altar. All of Drain Gang’s merch is designed by Bladee himself, surreal with barbed, medieval iconography. It’s also incredibly rare, with their merch occupying a thriving underground market on the likes of Grailed, primed for the up-selling. People immediately wrap the scarf around them, pulling on their fresh hoodie and discarding their old t-shirt for the latest design, which brings the rush of catching rare Pokémon.

Yet the group’s sound horrifies as often as it delights, and its artistic merits remain the subject of fierce debate. In a now infamous YouTube video, Anthony Fantano gave Bladee’s 2018 album Red Light a scathing rating of 1 out of 10, stating: Our mission is to provide quality Drain Gang Merchandise that is stylish, comfortable and affordable. We believe in the power of fashion to empower and inspire. We want to make sure that our products are accessible for all people. That's why we offer a variety of sizes, styles, and price points - so that you can find what you're looking for. ECCO2K: In the more recent work, the lyricism is less about me and more about everything else, but still understood through my own experience. Is the goal to get beyond the self? ECCO2K: When you’re tuned to listen for certain things, you have to retune yourself. Those normal things that you’re listening for are not in the same place in our music, or [they] are often not there at all. If you’re coming at it expecting to hear something you would normally hear in what you like, you have to adjust.CG: Ecco, in your last interview for 032c, you said, “I don’t want anything.” Do you all feel that way? CG: The music is extremely intimate, but you have succeeded in preventing people from believing that they know the real you. Has your decision to maintain distance left too much room for projection and misunderstanding? BLADEE: I can’t do anything when I have to. I can’t work in any other way. So, in that way, it’s effortless. If I feel pressured to do something, then I won’t do it! BLADEE: Although we’ve managed to keep things within our inner circle, we have to accept that we can’t control outside narratives. EF: In all honesty, I don’t know what to make of it. It’s a sign of the times and the current political climate. There are so many alt-right political movements coming up in every country, mainly in the West. I think maybe the uniqueness of the sound and them being quite private means that a lot of people can misinterpret it. I feel like it used to be worse. In the past two or three years there’s also been a big change in the fan base. People are speaking out more against that in the community, which I really appreciate. But I'm not going to lie, there are a lot of people who are misbehaving and trying to fuel some type of negativity. I suppose that’s unavoidable when it comes to stardom. All we can do is try and communicate what we feel is okay, which we are constantly doing with the capacities that we have. I definitely don’t want to ignore issues that exist within our community, but there’s only so much time and effort that you can make. I know what my artists stand for, politically and in terms of values. That’s why I’m still baffled that people would even try to—