escapiistt 's body of work so far refuses to be categorized. What ties this remarkably diverse collection of music together is its originality and unmistakable edge. There’s simply no room for boredom; instead, the sound pulls you straight into the mental escape the name itself promises. At the same time, Escapiist is deeply woven into our community, something you can feel in the sheer number of collaboration tracks and the ever-shifting lineup of creative partners. With all this in mind, it’s no exaggeration to call Escapiist the embodiment of the contemporary Audiotool artist.

Interview

About: Andrew AKA escapiistt :

I am 17 years old, born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. I indulge way too much in anything under the emo genre umbrella. I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by a thriving punk scene that feeds me constant inspiration to fuel into my music. Beyond my music world, I’m committed to a state university where I will be studying business education in Fall 2026. :) Oh, and I think pineapple on pizza is disgusting. Be a man, order Meat Lovers.

Describe the style of music you produce

My Audiotool discography hosts a wide range of sounds. Mainly containing DnB and hip-hop tracks, I’ve also delved into house, ambient, alt rock, and more. No matter the genre, you can expect frenetic and fun percussion and an unreasonable amount of clipping. ;)

What is your musical background and when did you start making music?

I started researching things like FL Studio and other DAWs as early as fifth grade whenever I had a little bit of free time, and I eventually stumbled upon Audiotool. I created an account and started making really bad trap beats, lol. I stuck with those sounds until I was around 12 or 13, when I started making DnB inspired by AT artists like aa3 and Roy.

At 14 years old, I began writing for a local ska band, crafting basic hooks and choruses, and I’ve been writing, mixing/mastering, and engineering for local emo bands ever since. I grew up listening to early Panic! at the Disco, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, and similar sounds, which really reflect in my live music. :)

How long have you been using Audiotool, and how did you discover it?

I’ve been using Audiotool since like 2018, and I found it searching for free DAWs. I was using Soundtrap, BandLab and anything I didn’t have to pay for. When I found AT, everything just clicked into place. The setup is so easy to understand for me, I’ve always thought of it like a puzzle game. Put this here and it makes this... now put this on that and you’ll get this, etc.

What is your favorite Audiotool device and why?

I love the Pulsar Delay so much. If you go look at any of my snapshots from the past year or so, there will be at least one Pulsar Delay. You can make so many cool sounds with it. A major part of my music is sampling, and using the Pulsar helps me achieve some of my best sounds. Throw a Pulsar Delay on a sample, turn a few knobs, and you’ve created a whole new sound. I love it so much.

What is your favourite trick in AT/What technique do you always use?

My favorite trick would have to be using the Quantum and Auto Filter to isolate and manipulate bass from samples. I love distorted, blown-out bass, and using this trick allows me to achieve that.

Have you ever had a writer's block? If so, how did you deal with it and what do you recommend to your colleagues

I’m in writer’s block more than I’m not. Seems like every time I get in the studio, I’ve made nothing of quality. What I’ve always told people, and what has always helped me, is to do lots of collabs and remix tracks. I think when I see other people’s workflow and creativity, their ideas rub off on me, and I end up being able to make something worth being proud of.

What has helped you the most on Audiotool to improve and widen your musical horizon?

Without the friends I’ve made along the way, I would be nothing. They’ve helped me more than they will ever know. People like Xyphr, Anodyne, R.Shani, and Titik, or more recently Kibbey and Roy, have given me endless inspiration and help beyond belief. They’ve opened my ears to genres I never thought I would make and taught me to create sounds I don’t think I would ever have learned without them.

What do you like most about Audiotool? Is there anything you would like to suggest?

I love the community. I’ve made a tight-knit group of fellow producers and formed relationships that go beyond music. Without features like commenting on tracks and walls, there are artists I listen to religiously that I would have never found.

A pitch shifter would be a lifesaver—a simple way to shift the key of your track. Stretching and chopping a sample and then having to figure out the key gets to be a lot of work. A pitch shifter would change my life, lol.

Your message to the community:

Make what you want, forget what everyone else expects from you.

Music / Social Media Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapiistt_

Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/9Agvh33QybYzIo3arZ

Track #1:

nåde by elias

I mean, come on, dude. Loud, distorted, and unique. There’s nothing more I could ask for. Elias, formerly SxcondGxn, is one of the most important AT trap producers, and his new sound is exactly what I wish I sounded like. Love the guy.

[[EMBED:https://www.audiotool.com/track/w7evf0qdvx/]]

Track #2:

Precinct 9 (ATD22) by Giles

One of the first DnB tracks I heard here that made me want to delve into the genre. So cool, and I love the cover art so much, lol.

[[EMBED:https://www.audiotool.com/track/tjeor91e52s5/]]

Track #3:

honest ugly & broken by naswalt

Oh. My. Gosh. Insane. Crazy (I was crazy once, they locked me in a room…). This song has been in my daily rotation since it came out. So beautiful. Emo Naswalt is everything I needed and more.

[[EMBED:https://www.audiotool.com/track/2cpp37ei/]]

Track #4:

my 816 by Yeetmanz

816 BABBYYY!!! Such a simple yet effective beat. Every time I make hip-hop, I’m just ripping off Yeetmanz’s sound. One of the first dudes I talked to on this site, and definitely my favorite producer. 816 represent ;)

[[EMBED:https://www.audiotool.com/track/cymv2400idr/]]

Track #5:

oxygen^2 [po9t x elujjin] by po9t

po9t x SBZ? Ohhh yesss. One of the best beats I’ve heard, period. If I’m on my deathbed and I have 4 minutes left to live, I’m listening to this twice and then spending my last seconds raving to the hospice doctors about this song.

[[EMBED:https://www.audiotool.com/track/9kdb0jk6/]]

Track #6:

aliens are real and i think they would like mangoes by escapiistt

By no means my best song, but this is what really got me back into the music stuff. In 2024, I was stuck in this perpetual cycle of not being able to make anything I valued. When I posted this, the feedback I got was so strong and supportive, I knew I had to keep going. Thank you to anyone who’s ever shown my music love.

[[EMBED:https://www.audiotool.com/track/wwd53z8qto8y/]]

Full Album

Edition Audiotool: escapiistt

• a-records

5

19 hours ago

1		nåde elias	elias	255
2		Precinct 9 (ATD22) Giles	Giles	1485
3		honest ugly & broken naswalt	naswalt	540
4		my 816 Yeetmanz	Yeetmanz	78
5		oxygen^2 [po9t x elujjin] po9t	po9t	877
6		aliens are real and i think they would like mangoes escapiistt	escapiistt	1110

It’s that time again: Audiotool’s longest-running community contest is back, making the winter months a little brighter. As always, the idea is simple: jump in, make something great, and have fun doing it.

This year’s judges are kiari , Roy ↨ , Client , euke volen , po9t , and Chonoes . The rules stay familiar: tracks must have remix enabled, be published between November 10th and January 4th, use no copyrighted samples, and remixes aren’t allowed. You only get one submission, solo or collab and it needs the ATD25 tag.

The top five tracks will be pressed onto a vinyl EP, and Client is adding a $100 prize for first place. Cover art comes from leadenshrew.

Read more: Audiotool Day 2025

Good Luck!