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Hainesii is a project by Max van Westerop (composer, guitarist, producer) in which themes of mortality,
care and the heart are explored whilst drawing inspiration from genres like ambient music, post-rock
and tinges of free/spiritual jazz. In it's core, Hainesii's material is songwriting as seen through the lens
of the aforementioned styles and genres.

"The project started out in 2020 as "Epicopeia Hainesii", which is a name taken from a moth species.
Initially this project served as a platform for sound-design, ambient experiments and audiovisual
outings. In the past few years, I have performed as "Epicopeia" numerous times, mostly in the form of
improvisatory ambient or using mostly pre-recorded material at exhibition sites. Parallel to the
instrumental explorations of Epicopeia, I started working on songs which for a few years either ended
up as LOEMA or Salutingrome material. Certain compositions didn't blend into those projects however,
so the ambition to arrange those by myself with the freeform experimental ethic of Epicopeia began
growing. After the disbandment of both LOEMA and Salutingrome, I shifted my focus to Hainesii."

Hainesii exists in various live-iterations: solo or joined by Maas Van Gogh on saxophone and Tijmen
Aalberts on drums which opens the door for extended improvisation and heightened intensity. Hainesii
is open to collaborate with other musicians and projects in the future.
Hainesii is currently working on a debut LP named “The Cormorant Pulls Out Her Heart”, which
features a blend of live-takes and considered studio production. The LP explores themes such as
illness, family, suicide, spirituality and injustice. The cormorant symbolizes adaptability,
resourcefulness, and transformation. In many cultures, the cormorant is seen as a symbol of patience
and self-reliance. Over the course of writing the material, the bird and it's connotation has become a
source of assurance.