To comprehend our humanity fully is to be blithely aware of the speck of time that our years inhabit among Earth’s billions. To live with this understanding presents another challenge. In his upcoming EP A GLINT IN THE HOLOCENE! LA-based singer-songwriter and producer Lecx Stacy spins the crisis of existentialism into a reminder and an ode—an exploration of how to appreciate what has ended and what still thrives.

The EP’s latest single, “iv. Deer in the Headlights,” in collaboration with prolific producer A. G. Cook (Charli XCX, Hannah Diamond), is a dynamic track that merges the driving strums of an acoustic guitar with chaotic electronic glitches. Its textured instrumentation, coupled with affected vocals, immerse the listener into a world that exists for just under three minutes—a fleeting spark in the day that lingers with you.

Lecx’s artistic range is limitless. He bounces genre-to-genre, from folk and country into breakcore and ambient music. His capabilities are reflected in his production credits, working with artists like Deb Never, Isabella Lovestory, and Jean Dawson, among others. Born and raised by a Filipino family, Lecx also draws influence from his cultural background. His latest projects, like the 2021 album Bundok, engage closely with ethnic history and identity. Through a fluid exploration of genre and a willingness for introspection, Lecx’s capable of conveying profound themes purely with a sonic atmosphere.

The project, out on October 4, sees Lecx reckon with endings of all kinds: a relationship, a faraway ambition, a preconception of the EP’s purpose. “iv. Deer in the Headlights,” the penultimate song in the tracklist, comes to a screeching halt as its plucky strings and high sirens cut. And this abrupt pause is another one of endless finales we’ll experience, a mixed bag of minor and grand endings, welcome and unwelcome. Lecx transforms these bittersweet moments into a capsule, preserved to admire and remember with fondness.

See here, Lecx speak about creative evolution, his Filipino American identity, and thoughts on legacy (or lack thereof).

How did collaborating with A. G. on “Deer in the Headlights” come about? What was the dynamic between you two?

This song came about shortly after A. G. invited me to contribute to PC Music’s AFK livestream. The dynamic between us involves more discussions of the politics and intricacies of Renaissance Faires, DnD, and Wild Western aesthetics than actually making music.

Where did the title of the EP A GLINT IN THE HOLOCENE! come from?

I actually made the title before I had consciously started writing any of the music. The title is about moments in time and was formed as an affirmation to remind myself to be present and appreciative of life right now (which was something I was struggling with heavily at the time of writing the project). The idea of the affirmation was to look at this present moment as a bright and shining occurrence to make life and existence a bit more bearable. Weirdly though, the initial mission statement I created for the project started to mold into something very different as I wrote the songs. The moments in time that the project discusses turned out to be moments of death and things ending. I dealt with a break up and witnessed different forms of things ending in my life which naturally made its way into the music. This sorta showed me that you can only plan so much when creating art and when engaging in real life/real time expression, what needs to be addressed naturally makes itself known. I think the project expanded itself from learning to appreciate the present to also appreciating the existence of what once was.

How does this EP continue your evolution as an artist?

Sonically I feel like this project continues to present the range of influences I have which I hope comes across in a cohesive way. There are tinges of emo, country, ambient, noise, folk and hardcore. Conceptually, I view this project as book two in a trilogy that starts with the last EP, Held My Gaze. While Held My Gaze deals with life, A GLINT IN THE HOLOCENE! deals with death. I just started the third installment.

In what ways has your Filipino American identity informed your creative process?

It has done so in a few ways. It has informed my taste and artistic identity. My parents are from a region of the Philippines where people obsess over American Western media. This led to being raised on both American and Filipino folk/country artists like John Denver and Freddie Aguilar. I’ve been exploring that history and identity more and more with these last few projects of mine. I also put out an album a few years ago called Bundok, which is a deeper self-exploration of ethnic identity. The album was also accompanied by a short documentary that archives the pictorial vernacular and oral history of my ancestors and a longing to break down post-colonial mentalities.

A GLINT IN THE HOLOCENE! is such an existential title. Have you thought about your place in history, and if so, how do you want to be remembered?

I used to care a lot about making an impact in the world and culture of music. My ambition to become this sensational artist was something that I saw end during the writing of this EP. I try not to think about my legacy anymore, and I try to focus on making myself, my friends and my family happy right now.

What parts of your life are you appreciating the most right now?

The people around me. Being friends with, let alone working with my literal idols and heroes in music, is something I’ve never thought I’d ever reach.

‍