There is so much music going on in the life of Luke Marzec, and it is only getting stronger, sweeter, and better than ever. The classically and jazz-trained musician attended Royal College of Music, York University, and Trinity Conservatoire before releasing his debut EP, Chances, in 2018. He then went on to release two more EPs all while refining his collaborating and co-writing skills. Luke has worked with artists like VC Pines and Benjamin Frances Leftwich, been featured on Johannes Brecht’s “Voicing Something” from the German artist’s 2022 Live and Love EP, and performs with the experimental modular synth-jazz group Lazy H and the Loose Cables. Additionally, he hosts a London-based jam session called Headroom, which features some of the capital’s best producers, jazz instrumentalists, and electronic instrumentalists. During covid, Luke spent some time in the countryside while living on a 44-foot narrowboat, which led to a period of reflection and personal development. It also brought on new concepts for songs, which are now compiled into three albums that will be released in the near future. For now, Luke gives us one of these albums, Something Good Out of Nothing, which is also his debut album. We had the opportunity to speak with Luke about the project, where he opened up about the people, places, and experiences that inspired the album.
Hi, Luke. Thank you for taking the time to answer these. How’s your summer going so far?
This summer has been brilliant! This weekend, I performed my debut album, Something Good Out of Nothing, live for the first time. It was amazing—such a joy! The band is incredible, and the whole community came to support it. We had a full house, and I was so elated by the performance—we ended up playing for an hour and a half! But yes, the summer has been very busy—rehearsing the band, the making of a music video for “Broken Promises,” a live band-in-the-studio video, whilst holding down my freelance job in the TV and film industry, and also recording an album with the other band I’m involved with—a collaborative project with synth-wizard Lazy H. There has been a lot of travel involved—driving up and down the country to keep all the plates spinning—and at times, it has been exhausting. But ultimately, all the things I do, I choose to do, and they give me energy. The performances this weekend in Totnes and at Boardmasters Festival were exhilarating, and I can’t wait to share the live recordings of the gigs! We’re getting many more gigs booked now, and I will be starting our residency in the Barrel House in Totnes, Devon, soon. I guess, I sewed these seeds in the spring, and now it is harvest season—and we are making hay.
Your new album Something Good Out of Nothing is divided into two parts. Did you know before making the album that you wanted it to be released in this way, or did it kind of naturally lend itself to the split?
The idea to split the album came later. When I was working on the track listing, Nic Nell—the mixing engineer—suggested thinking of the album in two halves, as it would sound on the physical vinyl. This made it much easier to decide on the track order—having two start and end tracks—helping shape each side with its own identity. The decision to release the album in two halves was also a pragmatic one. In this day and age, I am aware that a lot of listening habits tend towards singles, as per the way that streaming services’ algorithms push individual tracks. This was a choice to allow more of the songs to get heard. However, on that note, I think the next album I’ll drop in full, with little to no lead-up—there’s nothing like the element of surprise that can be lost with such a long lead-up.
How did you land on the album title?
Something Good Out Of Nothing is taken out of the lyrics to my song “Growing Up With You,” the second track of the album. That song is an ode to long-lasting friendships and adventure. The line is in context, “Where friendship lies by firesides, making something good out of nothing.” Since giving the album its title, I have thought more and more about that idea—to make something good out of nothing. I am constantly surprised and reminded that everything you need in life is usually close by, and all you really need is the will to do something; amazing things come out of nothing—conversations, ideas, fantasies—and then some spirited energy to bring them into fruition. That’s something I learned with my old friendships—these are the relationships that connect us to ourselves and our shared past. And to keep those stories alive, you need to keep the relationships nourished. And to do that, all you need is a fire, good food, music, and love. Anyway, I digress.
Each track has its own interesting sound, but most of the tracks are equal parts retro yet modern-sounding. In crafting these tracks, do you have the music planned out before adding the lyrics, or do the lyrics inform the way the music will sound?
I work very intuitively, and usually very quickly. Usually, I start with the music. I will produce a loop, with drums, bass, chords, and some atmosphere. The music inspires a melody, which in turn inspires lyrics. It happens in that order usually—the lyrics are the process of putting into words the feelings that the music brings to me. And the music, in turn, comes out of a place of exploration and will be a sound that feels nourishing at the times.
“Red Boletes” is the longest track on the album. I read that this was written in Buckfastleigh, which is a special place for you. Is this the most meaningful track on the album to you? If not, is there another track on here that is?
“Red Boletes” was written during lockdown when I was still living on my narrowboat. Theo Batchelor, my good friend and long-time collaborator, would occasionally come down to visit. Being in the middle of the countryside, we went for a walk one day in the autumn to forage for some Cep mushrooms. We spent the day wide-eyed, and were filled with the feeling of adventure. The song came about during that evening, and we worked on it for the following two days—walking up and down the river with my acoustic guitar, sitting on the river bank in between swims and working on the lyrics. It’s a song about our friendship and our adventures together. It’s my favorite song ever written, and is also a constant reminder to the power of collaboration—I could have never in a million years written something like that!
The cover art for the “Space To Be Free” single features a photo of you on what I think is the narrowboat you lived on a few years ago. What did you take away from that experience, in a nutshell?
That photo was taken on one of the days when “Red Boletes” was written. Those misty mornings by the river were so beautiful. That time on the boat, for many periods spent alone, were massively formative in developing my character. I spent a lot of time with myself, and learnt to really enjoy that time. I had, in my twenties, been so quick to be heavily-influenced by the people around me—to the expense of my wishes sometimes. So yes, the boat time was some much needed time alone. It took me out of London, and unleashed the rediscovery of my love of the countryside. I love the city, but to visit; but my heart is wilder than that, and needs the horizons.
Your latest single was “Broken Promises,” which gets into the concept of embracing the moment and taking on new experiences. What are some experiences that you’re hoping to have one day?
I’ve just got the travel bug. I have entered into a great friendship recently with a friend who travels and works regularly on various creative projects around the world; this is something I’m so excited to do, and we are already planning our travels. Before that, Theo and I will take my VW campervan and drive it from Devon, through France and Iberia, to Porto. We are bringing a sound system to provide the music for our best friend’s wedding, so we’ve planned a little adventure to take us there.
Overall, what do you want listeners to take away from the album?
I have never really thought about that. What I’m interested in is discovering what it is that the listeners take away from the album.
What more do you have planned this year?
This year is all about consistency in gigging with the band. We will take up a Sunday night, fortnightly residency. This will be a space to try out new material, refine the existing material, and be a great space to build a local following—invite different musicians down and develop a bigger, better, and more cohesive band. I come from jazz, and I love improvising and exploring the songs musically—not just performing the same thing every time. So, this will be a space for us to develop as a shared voice.
Again, thank you for taking the time out to do this. Do you have any final comments or parting words?
Just to thank you also for having me!
You can listen to Something Good Out of Nothing here.
