luke hess ~ interview

i'm writing a piece for someone on detroit's current crop of production talent [which explains the detroit centric questions] so have briefly email interviewed a few of the main proponents. only the odd quote will be used in the piece and i thought it a shame not share the answers in full, so here they come...

what does detroit mean to you?

detroit was founded on sweat, blood, and tears. it is a picture of the human spirit hard at work to realize a dream. the automobile industry, the civil rights movement, and the musical genius that is commonly associated with detroit all find their roots in a passion for something greater. where the spirit is there is liberty, and where there is liberty there is no limit to what can be achieved.

to what extent is the city a help or a hindrance to you as an artist?

there is a lot of inspiration that can be found in the architecture, in the history, in the people, and in the music of detroit. i feel the city is a big help to me when i write. at the same time there is a lot that the city doesn’t have to offer. there are no gleaming skylines here, no bustling nightlife, and no amazing scenery; there are dwindling business opportunities, and high crime-rates. however, in the midst of all this there is character. there is patience and hope and a genuineness that surrounds the endeavors of the people that live here. the product of this genuineness is purpose that is not based on hype, but based on soul. in relation to music it’s creating something with meaning and depth. underground music was made for experimentation, human expression, and to create something new; it was never about fitting in or following trends.

i'm profiling a new wave of detroit producers – why do you think so much good is coming from the city at the moment? how do you feel being heralded as part of that?

the definition of good music is different for everyone. i’m not sure all music coming out of detroit at the moment is good. trends, categories, waves, and hype aren’t interesting to me. what interests me is the meaning and the feeling in the music. what interests me is finding real music and real people in a world that is becoming increasingly shallow.

what drew you to electronic music?

i was invited by an older friend in high school to my first detroit warehouse party in 1995. there was a feeling that stayed with me from this and several subsequent events that i try to recreate in my dj sets and in my productions… along with the endless stream of other inspiration that are attacking me at any given moment.

where do your sounds come from?

my sounds come from a combination of analog machines and god’s creation.

what makes you, you?

a man’s heart plans his way, but the lord directs his steps.

to what extent does “light in the dark” represent you or detroit? is the title any reference to the city?

the album represents a moment in time. the theme of the record is the ultimate battle that every thinking person has to face at some point in his/her life. “what is my purpose here on earth?” the album is meant to shed some light on the subject. popular culture and science suggests that we are matter and that we have a consciousness, but when we die we rot and cease to exist. i believe there is much more to life and there is much more for us after this life. we should recognize that we were designed for a purpose and that our decisions can affect the world around us for good or for evil. more importantly if we live for god and recognize all that he has done for us we’ll live the life that we were meant for and we won’t just exist.