After establishing a noteworthy career in the venerated band Lotus, Luke The Knife is finally ready to unveil his debut album under his solo project. With over a decade of honing his artistic abilities, Luke The Knife’s debut LP, Disco Nap, effortlessly showcases his undeniable musical prowess and groovy sensibilities. The nine-track offering takes the listener on an eclectic journey filled with funky beats and experimental melodies including features with Cherub and Raven Jane. DMCWORLD dives in…
Congrats on the release of your debut album Disco Nap! Can you share a little bit about the creative process behind the new album?
I had started up a couple tracks before the pandemic, but once lockdown kicked in and I had a lot of time at home on my hands I really started to work on songs in my home studio with the goal of putting together an entire album. By October I had a full album and thought I was done. I kept listening to it, and thought I could do better. My next thought was to do one disco/funk album and one house/electronic album. So I wrote another entire album-worth of songs. At the end of the day I picked what I thought were the best nine tracks from both collections to showcase the entire spectrum of sound that I think Luke the Knife represents.
One of the standout tracks on the album is ‘She’s So Damn Fine’ with Cherub. What was it like working with Cherub and why do you think their style was a good fit for the album?
We had to work remotely, but I think their style is a great fit for the album because they simultaneously sound sexy and fun. That is definitely a vibe that I go for at my shows and with my music. They really know how to add in the little extra bits of vocals and ad-libs that push the song to the next level.
What initially made you want to start your own project as Luke The Knife? Are there any specific factors that inspired your signature sound in your solo alias?
Initially I started Luke the Knife as a way to get into DJing and specifically producing more electronic music. In the beginning it was more focused on disco and indie-dance. But I think a signature of my sound is having a long background playing in a band. So small things like making the keys of songs line up in mixes and having a larger dynamic arc are details I’m painfully aware of. I like to sprinkle in actual instruments like slap bass or organic percussion into even heavy electronic tracks to give a touch of humanity.
We see that you had an album release party last weekend in Denver. Are there any tracks from the album that you think particularly resonated with the audience that day?
The opening track “Hit ‘Em With the Boogie” and “She’s So Damn Fine” hit really nicely. It was a daytime show, so those really fit the ambiance of the day.
Do you have a favorite track on the album? If so, which one and why?
“Bounce It” was the first track I started for the album. It’s one of my favorites because it contains all the elements I was going for on the project. There’s house, and little funk, a little wonk-weirdness, and mostly just fun.
How does it feel to have a project that’s all your own and to have complete creative control over the music?
It’s double-edged. It feels really good to know that I’m capable of creating and releasing this music all by myself, but if people don’t like it or worse just ignore it, then it’s more of a personal blow. Putting out your own music can be really vulnerable, but the payoff is through the roof if people dig it.
What are some lessons you learned from being a part of Lotus that translated into your solo project?
The balance between repetition and variation. In both Lotus and Luke the Knife I believe that there is a fractal relationship at every level of the music that achieves the best result when the ratio between iteration and novel-invention is roughly 80%. That sounds a bit complicated but basically knowing when to stay static and when to alter is the foundation of groove.
What are some similarities and differences between making music as Lotus and making music as Luke The Knife?
I use a similar process and software, but the biggest difference is the structure of the songs. House music in particular is usually one main idea with a couple breakdowns. In Lotus, there are more often multiple ideas and generally a more traditional song structure.
What advice would you offer to young producers and musicians that are just beginning their careers?
Keep learning. If you play an instrument, learn to DJ, and vice versa. Learn to produce, learn to mix, learn to master. Even if you don’t end up doing those things all the time it helps expand what you can do and how you hear music.
Any upcoming Luke The Knife news you can share with us at this time?
I’m playing July 10th at the Mann Centre in Philadelphia and Labor Day weekend at the festival Summerdance in Ohio. And over the course of the year I’ll be releasing a bunch more tracks that didn’t make it on the album.
https://www.facebook.com/LuketheKnife
