HEADS KNOW TAPE 012: Lunice
An interview and DJ mix from the Montréal experience producer and performer.
Photo courtesy of press.
HEADS KNOW TAPES is our mix and interview series, curated to introduce you to the most exciting innovators, selectors, and artists from New York City and beyond.
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There’s a reason people are drawn to Lunice. Much like his DJ sets and productions, the artist is magnetic, high-energy and all about around connection. If you’re lucky enough to see him in action at a gig, you’ll notice his grand gestures are just as big as the intention he puts into every selection. Whether he aims to get the crowd engaged or take a moment to take in his surroundings, Lunice is here to create an experience.
There’s discourse around bass music—specifically American bass music—no longer catering for the dancefloor. The Montréal producer, who got into the music world through breakdancing, feels otherwise. “I personally think it’s less that bass artists are making music people can’t dance to but more down to the familiarity of a danceable rhythm when it comes to anyone who perceives a song,” he says. “I believe anyone can develop a style and flow to be able to ride any type of rhythm, it’ll just take some time and exposure and eventually your body and soul will understand the core of the rhythm itself.”
In 2010, Lunice signed to experimental label, LUCKYME. He’s since worked with artists like The Alchemist, Azealia Banks, and Denzel Curry. With Hudson Mohawke, the two make up legendary hip-hop and electronic experimental duo, TNGHT, who have collaborated with the likes of Kanye West and Skrillex.
The duo is actually one of the reasons I got into electronic music in the first place, so this tape coming out is very special and sentimental to me. Read on to learn more about Lunice’s his latest album, OPEN, the birth of trap music, and how dancing still impacts his journey in music today. Plus, listen to his high-octane HEADS KNOW tape below.
Hey, Lunice. Thanks for being part of this! How are you doing?
LUNICE: Absolutely! I’m feeling great! I was just in the middle of cleaning my crib and sorting out my clothes and other stuff to clear things up haha. It’s a forever cycle of cleanliness and messiness but I appreciate the way it builds better habits for myself overall.
Around this time last year, you released your second solo studio album, OPEN. How are you feeling about the reception?
Every type of release, whether it be a remix, EP, LP or anything put out publicly, I’ve always experienced this sense of surrealness with the realization of how grateful I am to be able to do this for a living let alone having a collective of people interested in my artistic expression. So this release was no different in the way I feel so lucky and humbled by the amazing response everyone gave. I thank you all so much <3
What prompted you to make the album? How did it come together?
Ever since the work I did on the TNGHT project with HudMo, I’ve learned a great deal about the concept of creating with absolutely no prior motive or preconceived narrative or idea to what I’m about to create. I just let the present time moments of what sounds I end up hitting speak to me and follow that natural flow without ever knowing how this whole project will develop until I start to see the pieces coming together into a bigger theme. I do this to keep a very unbiased and natural expression to form itself without my control up until I feel there’s a whole feel and sound to the overall piece.
You've said you didn't come from a very artistic family. Tell me about the moment that you realized you could actually do music for a living.
I sort of still can’t believe I can do this for a living even after 16 years in the industry haha. But the time I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to the Arts in general was when my late grandfather (Tatay Fermin), who used to be a very talented tailor, showed me how to draw when I was about the age of 7 years old. I vividly remember looking at a blank sheet of paper and suddenly seeing him draw lines until a snowy village scenery with a snowman up the hill appeared before me. I thought he legitimately pulled a magic trick on me and ever since then I've obsessed myself with anything and everything that could be found in the art world in general. Out of all the things I’ve experimented and explored, music was the one element that had a heavy pull for me.
How does your family feel about your music career now? Do they understand what you've accomplished throughout the years?
Oh yeah! Funny enough, my mother understood this was for real before I ever thought it was. My family has always shown unconditional love and support for any interest I would be into so I’m very grateful for that.
I know your introduction into music was actually b-boying when you were 13 years old. How did you get into that?
It was another one of those catalytic moments, similar to witnessing my grandfather draw, where I was introduced to another creative output that I’ve never seen before. I was in my first year of highschool and during recess I noticed everyone gathering to form what I would eventually know as a cypher where I’d see two people dancing but in such a way that it felt like a battle between two opponents. There was something about the emotion, movement, angles and execution that felt so unusual, instinctual and primal that it became my next point of fascination to explore.
Photo: Samuel Pasquier
How does dance help inform your production, or the way you curate your DJ sets?
From my break dancing and overall dancing exploration I’ve unintentionally transferred my comprehension of rhythm to the music I make and the way I play my sets. I always design my live sets to give enough space for me to keep moving or as I like to call it “flowing”. Same goes for the music I create. I make sure to have the least amount of rules and narratives in order to heighten the chances of falling into what people would call a “flow state” and I let that phenomenon take me where it needs to go.
As a dancer first, what do you think about the recent discussion in American bass music that producers haven't been prioritizing making music to dance to?
I personally think it’s less that bass artists are making music people can’t dance to but more down to the familiarity of a danceable rhythm when it comes to anyone who perceives a song. I believe anyone can develop a style and flow to be able to ride any type of rhythm, it’ll just take some time and exposure and eventually your body and soul will understand the core of the rhythm itself.
Most people know that you're also in the legendary duo, TNGHT, with Hudson Mohawke, but you've also worked with artists like The Alchemist, Denzel Curry, and SOPHIE. Why is collaboration important to you?
Collaboration is the essence of the overall human experience. I truly believe everything is relational meaning that the relation of everything has an effect and interesting events or ideas emerge from this very dynamic. Without collaboration, there would be no exchange of feelings, information, knowledge, flows and thoughts that could help a person have a better overall quality of life that can go beyond the music itself.
Speaking of TNGHT, when I interviewed HudMo for Mixmag a couple of years ago, he told me his version of the beginnings of "electronic trap" music. He even mentioned you used to pay homage to the death of trap by playing the Star Wars theme song, 'The Imperial March.' As a longtime trap lover and historian, I'd love to hear how trap got started from your perspective.
Haha yeah, to clarify the trap funeral soundtrack, it was actually Machinedrum that made it as a joke where the word “trap” was pitch bended to match the melody from “Frédéric Chopin - Funeral March” hence “Trap Funeral.” Previous to that, he made one that he titled “Swag Funeral” with the same exact concept. It was so funny to us that I decided to make it as my intro for my shows.
How electronic trap music started from my perspective is a little hazy. I generally recall being fascinated by the actual trap genre coming out of Atlanta and the South, more specifically T.I.P. and Gucci Mane along with Waka Flocka. The energy and expression felt so new and absolutely out there. There was something fascinating in the way the 808s and percussion would interact with each other that it completely influenced the approach to my music to this day. In general, I see the music I make as my own interpretation of a huge collective of genres I’ve come across and been inspired by over the years.
“Collaboration is the essence of the overall human experience.”
As someone who's respected in both the hip-hop and dance music worlds, what do you think about the recent mainstream crossover between the two genres?
It feels like it was meant to be. I’ve always felt that the dance music world has always been in favor of exploring new sounds, new concepts and new expressions at a pretty fast pace. I think there will always be this cyclical dynamic between the mainstream and electronic music where the two will converge and wild collaborations will come of it.
We saw something similar back in the early to mid 2010's and it unfortunately didn't go where a lot of people expected it to. How do you hope it pans out this time?
It would be impossible for me to predict how it’ll pan out. That’s why I love to look and identify cyclical patterns in cultures where it could give me a decent idea of where things can come back to but with a new style of expression on top. I believe we’re currently in the 2008-2009 phase in which we’re amidst some kind of economic tightening but with these constraints come new underground scenes emerging and flourishing behind the scenes almost beyond social media where people are connecting IRL creating in-person relations and collaborations. I'm very hopeful for what’s to come from the newer Gen Z artists, they’re super on it and very honest with their artistic expression.
If the dancefloor clears, what's the song you use to bring everyone back?
Honestly if it clears that’s okay with me too haha! I just love to perform and have people experience it however they please. But to answer that question, if there’s a song that I love to play to get people rowdy it would be Hudson Mohawke’s “Intentions” or Cali Cartier, Umru & Yung Skrrt’s “Fastlane.”
If the music, the people and the sound system make a party good, what makes a party great?
The relational connection from person to person where it feels like all of our consciousness is in sync with each other.
What can we expect from this mix?
A couple of new unreleased tracks and some older ones that I find still stand the test of time like Al Ripken Jr’s “Everything I Got Now” and “Kids (Put Ya Hands Up)”. There’s a couple of unidentified tracks on there too but for good reason. I’d prefer to keep it that way for now. :)
Is there anything I haven't asked you that you want to talk about? Anything you want to promote?
Nothing much yet, I’ve lately been involving myself in the Fine Arts world a lot. I’ll eventually be able to talk about all that in the future, there’s a lot of very exciting things coming together. And I also have the next few solo projects already conceptualized so now the music journey itself begins! Meaning that I expect to not take another 5-6 years for my next LP haha.
I love you all and thank you for having me be part of this!
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Follow Lunice on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, SoundCloud, and Bandcamp. See when he’ll be in your city next via Resident Advisor and check out his website.
TRACKLIST
Budgie - Your Body Is My Temple
Reaper - Grip
ID - ID
Lunice feat. Cali Cartier - Walk
TNGHT - Club Finger
Umru & Petal Supply ft. Rebecca Black - Heart2 (Lunice Remix)
Lunice feat. DAGR - Winnebago
Lunice feat. DAGR - Winnebago (m4ch Remix)
TNGHT - Gimme Summn
Lunice feat. Cali Cartier - No Commas
Azealia Banks - Six Flags
Dj Scar feat. c Vitin Da Igrejinha, Mc Lauretta & Mc Th Da Serra - Colombian Gold
Lunice - Get Right
Nikki Nair x Hudson Mohawke - Set The Roof
Lunice - Partout
Al Ripken Jr. - Kids (Put Ya Hands Up)
TNGHT - I’m In A Hole
Lunice - No Commas (Dansa Remix)
Mumdance - FFS
Emma’s Gold - Tipsy
ID - ID
Cali Cartier feat. TYMMI - SHINE
Joker - S Wave
Lunice - Run Around
Kendrick Lamar - N95
Al Ripken Jr. - Everything I Got Now
Speng Squire - In The Ghetto
Playboi Carti - @ MEH
TNGHT - Acrylics
TNGHT - Brick Figures
Hudson Mohawke - Intentions
