If you are into Electronic music and LA‘s LUXXURY is not on your radar, I am going to have to assume you still find your music by listening to FM radio. Having been crushing the scene with his perfectly executed, completely groovy, incredibly performed tunes for sometime now – when I think Nu-Disco, LUXXURY is the first name I mention. With an impressively stacked solo catalog, remixes for some of the biggest names in the game, and an untold number of credits behind the scenes, it is no wonder why he has become a secret weapon in the music business. If you need someone to help you make sure your tune works on every dancefloor around the globe, to people of any age, during any type of event – LUXXURY is the guy you want to call.
Since first discovering his music years ago, there has not been one release since that I have not rocked on repeat. Making music for the masses that will without a doubt stand the test of time, LUXXURY brings old school vibes with new school swag, showcasing every time, his in depth knowledge of music theory and unmatched knack for groove. While we have had our own conversations in the past, when his new single, “Don’t Give Up (I Believe In You)“, hit my inbox, I figured it was about time I dug a bit deeper – for the good of everyone listening. Another incredible addition to his ever-growing catalog, his latest offering is a perfect introduction to his sound. Bringing exactly what I have come to know, expect and love, this is LUXXURY – no need to elaborate.
Check it out below, and when you are done, make sure you dig a bit deeper into his catalog and keep scrolling to check out our chat. I promise you wont be disappointed. You’re welcome.
RDFO: I have been a fan of yours for several years now. Personally, I feel there are not many people who can make glistening, retro dance jams the way you can. How long have you been LUXXURY and to date, what has been your personal favorite original or remix?
LUXXURY: Thanks man! I’ve been making music as LUXXURY for about…wow, 15 years or so? That’s crazy. The project started out more synthpop and became more disco around 2013 when I started doing my LUXXURY edit series. My favorite originals are my most recent singles, especially “What Are We Gonna Do?” (now on vinyl!) and my latest, “Don’t Give Up (I Believe in You).”
RDFO: I always find your production hella impressive. Are you playing everything on your records or do you work with others in the studio to help cultivate your sound? Any names you want to drop?
LUXXURY: I love collaborating and have done some really fun collabs with Adeline, Scavenger Hunt and a few others. And my album “It’s Not Funny” was me in the studio with Billy Caruso, every song began as us jamming and then I was the guy who layered, mixed and did everything to finish it. But he was also an invaluable ear and sounding board, without whom I would have taken the full decade to complete, instead of only half of one 🙂 Also for “Keep it Together” with Kraak & Smaak I had the pleasure of contributing the vocal plus a bass and guitar part and then stepping aside to let Oscar from that band finish everything! But generally speaking I’m doing pretty much everything in the studio, especially on my most recent singles which were 100% written, recorded, mixed and even mastered by me. I even did the artwork, PR, label/distro everything…I am as DIY as it gets right now! This is less a matter of thinking “I’m the best person for the job” and more a matter of expediency – like, I don’t really know what to ask someone else to do, so I fumble around with instruments, lyrics and Ableton Live until I find what I want to do…at which point, it’s just, like, done!
RDFO: How may instruments do you play and what is your favorite to jam on?
LUXXURY: I play bass, guitar and keys…competently. And I sing…as well as I can. And the magic of Ableton Live is that I can shape everything, slowly, until it’s right. A friend of mine once described it as more like painting than photography. Layering, erasing, adding, subtracting, balancing and rebalancing. My favorite to jam on is definitely bass.
RDFO: So far, what has been the most exciting or memorable moment as LUXXURY? Was it a performance, landing a big remix, or any other accolades that have made it all worth it?
LUXXURY: Oooh good question – being on “Carson Daly” with the live band was pretty dope; as was playing Outside Lands Maybe those win because both were performances, so they were true experiences. But a close runner up would be getting my song “Be Good 2 Me” in an XBOX game, Forza Horizon 4!
RDFO: Your glow up on TikTok has been impressive since you launched. What made you first want to hop on the platform and why do you think your content has clicked? Any pointers for other artists trying to get a buzz on there?
LUXXURY: I’d had that idea for a show and was going down the path of pitching it for TV when Covid hit. After a few months of adjusting to the New Normal, and discovering TikTok I realized it could be perfect for the medium. And then I just got dumb lucky in that my first video – about Britney’s “Toxic” – went crazy viral and got me 50k followers in the first few weeks! I’m at 175k now and just really enjoying the platform. That said i don’t know what advice I can give artists because the one thing I HAVEN’T done very well is use it to promote my own music. It just feels a little weird to go from talking about Interpolation in Rod Stewart’s “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” to my new single. But I’m taking baby steps, ask me again in 3 months, maybe I’ll have some tips and tricks!
RDFO: Your new single, “Don’t Give Up (I Believe in You)”, is yet another stunner and totally brings that LUXXURY feel that myself and so many others have come to love. What elements of your tunes do you think are a defining factor in your sound?
LUXXURY: Probably that my playing bass, singing, and overall production aesthetic are decidedly unslick, maybe the opposite of a lot of nu disco. I of course aim to have the music sound as good as I can, but there’s a point at which making it as smooth and clean as possible sucks the life out of it – for me at least. So, I leave a lot of imperfections in – not the least of which is my own limitations on the instruments. I think this comes from my being a musician or “band guy” first and a DJ second, so I’m interested in the song a little more than I am in the drops, builds and all the other dancefloor cliches. I say this knowing full well the absence of those things ends up hurting me a little on Beatport etc, but I’m not aiming for the top 50…I’m aiming for my music to be the weird dancey thing people play in between Dua Lipa remixes, to change up the vibe a little, make it a little more dirty and human sounding.
RDFO: Outside of the studio, what are somethings that you enjoy doing? Any other hobbies or favorite past times?
LUXXURY: I love yoga, bike riding, cooking, sleeping & reading…but mostly I just want to make music ALL THE TIME.
RDFO: When it comes to your studio and production, what is your preferred DAW, what other gear do you have that you tend to use most and what are some of your favorite plugins?
LUXXURY: I’m all in on Ableton. I don’t really care much about gear – I use a lot of Live’s default plug ins, and almost no outboard gear or synths. Just my DAW, a bass, a guitar, and my voice.
RDFO: What music did you grow up on and who are some of your biggest inspirations when it comes to creating your own music?
LUXXURY: I grew up on 80s music, which means every genre was on the radio all the time – Michael Jackson to Duran Duran to Olivia Newton John, I love it all! Giorgio Moroder is probably why I’m focused on disco, when I first hear that 16th note synth pattern in Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” I was hooked for life.
RDFO: What is next for LUXXURY?
LUXXURY: More original singles and an EP this summer; more videos on TikTok and Instagram; and I’m writing for a few TV shows and video games, which is new for me and I’m super excited for them to come out later this year.
.png)
Comments