It’s been a while since I’ve listened to truly melancholic lo-fi works. But recently, Australian producer zxch. shared his cover of the track “i watched the moon (tek it)” with me, and honestly, I was moved. This atmosphere—it somehow involuntarily and inevitably gets under your skin.
To understand the magic of this work, it’s worth remembering the original by the American indie duo Cafuné. Noah Yoo and Cedric Lemon (Sedona Schat) have always known how to create a soft, atmospheric sound where emotion is everything. But what zxch. has done is not just a reconstruction; it’s an intensification of every nerve, every halftone that was present in the original.
The author chose the key lines: “I watch the moon / Let it run my mood / Can’t stop thinking of you…” — and they became the foundation for an entire philosophy of emotional dependence. The cyclicity of the phrases creates a closed-circle effect, but there is no sharp pain in this. It’s rather a calm, slightly mournful acceptance. A state in which you are already used to living.
It is this very restraint that makes the track universal: everyone can recognize their own night reflections or the moment when someone else involuntarily controls their inner rhythm. And the lo-fi “wrapper” here is of key importance. While the original by Cafuné had a certain drive through acoustic drums and guitar, zxch. conveyed true sadness instead.
It all begins very lightly: muffled vocals, delicate pad lines, a transition from ambient to restrained beats with panoramic percussion. The main instrument remains the vocal—slowed down, with a light reverb, it creates that very enveloping effect. And the use of “singing,” stretched guitar chords adds more drama to the composition, regardless of how much the original’s fans might hate on me right now.
zxch. found that very “key,” polished it, and simply gave it to the listener. And you open your heart to this music without any effort, because these words in a lo-fi shell feel much closer than ever before.
P.S. If you’re ready to shift from quiet reflection to a new musical journey, check out this call to adventure.
