I follow Andrew Luce on Soundcloud and a little part of me inside was screaming in thrill when I saw the notification that he had just posted a new track. I first discovered the LA-based 20-year-old producer from his Too Future mix, and his latest two releases have got me messed up in all sorts of feels. If you've heard his earlier collab with Alexander Lewis – "Take Me", you will get a sense of taste of how talented Andrew is and a force to be reckoned with.
Listening to the track, we're opened with dark heart-wrenching vocals that invoke all sorts of emotions. A relatable track that has you wondering about that special someone, the producer blends in a bass-heavy production that puts an emphasis of the toplines. The guitar that progresses with the track gave me the impression of a music video where the characters are driving down a dark neon tunnel at night, looking out feeling the cold air that sets the vibe. Close your eyes, what do you see?
A track with an interesting story behind it is always extra fun to write about and that is exactly what is happening here. "Lanterns" released on Fools Gold Records is part of his upcoming EP Lanterns to be released on June 7th is the perfect setter to what we can assume will be filled with emotive melodies, experimental sound design and a unique approach to rhythms.
The production came together when Andrew was messing around on his guitar and a drum loop one night. 15 minutes was all it took for the prodigy producer to make the main hook, however like many producers tend to do, the track was shelved away as a WIP. A few weeks pass by and vocalist Someother reached out to Andrew as a fan asking for advice on a song that he had been working on, captivated by the talented young vocalist's hook that he had sent, he put the two together and that's how the producer's favourite song that he's released to date was made.
If you're a fan of Andrew, you may see that his music is constantly evolving in a new direction. When I asked what triggered it, Luce said:
A year ago I found myself making music that I wouldn’t listen to, which is the biggest nightmare for any artist. I was also going through a lot of cliches – I had just broken up with my girlfriend, I graduated high school and moved out to Los Angeles alone, I struggled to find friends my age that I could really connect with after moving, etc. After I was able to find some stability in my day to day life, I did what I’ve always done best: completely locked myself away in my room and obsessively made music until I was happy again. It took me several months to get back into a flow that I was happy with, and my upcoming EP “LANTERNS” was made entirely during that process. I’m excited about this new direction because the music is authentically me, and it’s music that I admittedly can’t stop listening to sometimes, which is something I’ve never felt before! I’ve been able to get to a point creatively where everything just flows out of me naturally without having to think too much. It’s amazing.
Following up with the question of what it was like to make the introduction track with what started as a fan reaching out for advice, a similar story to that of Deadmau5 and his track with Chris James "The Veldt", the producer spoke highly of the experience:
It was great! Someother is extremely talented and he impressed me with just about everything he sent. I love working with talented young vocalists that haven't been able to see their potential yet because of poor production or poor engineering. I feel like I was able to show him how good he really was through the making of this track – that was the best part of the experience.
Lanterns the EP drops this summer, be on the lookout and get ready to experience the affectionate sound of Andrew Luce.
Connect with Andrew Luce: Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter