If you haven’t heard of Andrew Luce yet, it’s time to get familiar. In the past few months he has dropped some of the best remixes of the year (Birthday Sex, F.D.B., Bang It to the Curb, and Drunk In Love to name a few). The consistency, quality and volume of releases, easily puts him in the discussion for best up-and-coming producers right now. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with the rising star. Check the full interview below.
FUXWITHIT: It seems that every blog, bio page, etc. seems to highlight the fact that you’re only 16. Does this ever annoy you or do you see it as complement?
Andrew Luce: If people like the music, then I have no problem with it. The only thing that upsets me about being 16 are the people that immediately believe that a 16 year old producer can only produce typical electronic music. I lied about my age for about 6 months when I was 15 just because I didn’t believe that most people would listen to a song produced by a 15 year old.
FUXWITHIT: You’ve been into music for about 8 years now (playing guitar, drums, bass) and have been producing electronic music for one year. What prompted you to make the switch? What do you enjoy most about producing electronic music?
Andrew Luce: I became interested in producing electronic music in 8th grade after I started listening to it a lot more. The main reason for my switch was the fact that you have such an incredible flexibility with electronic music. With guitar, I could make one sound with one instrument and that’s it. With electronic production, it’s like you’re building your own guitar, or building your own drum set. The thing I enjoy most is the versatility in what you can create — electronic music doesn’t have to be bashing club music.
FUXWITHIT: How do you balance going to school and making music? Do you ever feel driven to skip class to finish a project or work on it on your laptop in the middle of a class?
Andrew Luce: All the time. I try to never skip class, but when I get to working on music during my free periods I have a very difficult time pulling myself out of my room to go to the classroom. There have been a few times where I’ll quickly put down an idea in Ableton, but I’m never full on producing in the class room because I would completely tone out everything around me.
FUXWITHIT: Congratulations on joining Autonomous Music’s booking roster. Can we expect a full tour this summer? Are there any cities you’re dying to play in?
Andrew Luce: While I would love to say I’m doing a full tour, it’s a little too soon to tell. My summer plans are to gain more exposure through the music instead of through smaller performances. That way, I can do bigger shows with true fans instead of smaller shows where no one knows who I am. I would obviously love to play in San Francisco sometime over the summer. I’ve been going to Bill Graham, The Regency Ballroom, and many other places since I was much younger to see my favorite electronic artists so it would be awesome to play at any of those.
FUXWITHIT: How do you decide what songs you want to remix? Is it just a song that you really enjoy or do you hear something in it and think I could add something special to this?
Andrew Luce: Each remix has a different story behind it. I’ll often just scroll through my music collection and come across a song thinking, “this is a classic, it could use a fresh coat of paint over it.” I got the idea for my most recent remix “F.D.B.” at Coachella this year after I heard the song a few times. There’s also been times in the past where I’ve gotten a recommendation from a friend that ends up working really well.
FUXWITHIT: You recently wrote a PSA on Facebook stating that a large portion of electronic music currently being released is disposable (including some of your own) and that you will be taking a new direction. Can you expand on the path that you plan to explore?
Andrew Luce: I just want to make music that I think will be able to last a long time. While a lot of my music (and other electronic producers music) is great for a live show right now, I don’t believe that it’s going to hold up over time. I think that people like Mr. Carmack and Flume are really carrying the torch for electronic music right now — I could listen to them in a club or at home at my desk. The main goal and idea of that PSA was to break free from the “okay, let’s find a new remix that has to be done in two weeks” and instead let everything happen naturally. I’m interested in making a lot more than just bangers.
FUXWITHIT: I read that you design your own artwork for your releases. Is this something you enjoy doing and what is your favorite cover to date? As you continue to grow do you expect to retain this responsibility? I think adds a level of authenticity to your releases; knowing that it’s all you.
Andrew Luce: To be honest, the album artwork is a bit of a chore that I’m only doing right now because it’s so expensive to get anyone else to do it. If I’m able to make some more money, I would love to add some originally designed artwork for my releases. My process for making these album artworks is just using the black rectangle template, finding a photo, and putting the text in the box.
FUXWITHIT: In the past few months your music and recognition has really gained momentum. How does it feel to have your music noticed, played and appreciated by so many?
Andrew Luce: It’s pretty cool. I love making music, and my goal when doing so isn’t usually to please other people. The amount of traffic I’ve gotten recently is pretty shocking to me, but I’m trying not to let the numbers pressure me into doing anything I don’t want to.
FUXWITHIT: You performed at SnowGlobe Festival last year. How would you describe the experience? Do you enjoy DJing as much as you love making music?
Andrew Luce: Snowglobe was great. It was a great opportunity and very lucky for me to have won the contest, and I learned a lot from the experience. In regards to DJing — I find producing much more enjoyable. I have done more shows at this point that I’ve disliked than ones that I’ve liked. I think that this will change when more people want to come see me for my music instead of me just being a disposable “dj” (like at a high school dance) that plays billboard requests. The day that people come to see me play what I want to play is the day that I’ll be a happy performer.
FUXWITHIT: You have previously mentioned your desire to collaborate with artists such as LOUDPVCK, Clark Kent, Hucci, STWO, & SWAZY. You’ve also mentioned that you’re a huge fan of classic bay area hip-hop. What would your dream rap collaboration be?
Andrew Luce: Drake, without any question. I don’t know what it is about his music, but I’ve probably listened through “Nothing Was The Same” 250 times since it came out. It’s great driving music, but I’m also very intrigued by Drake’s approach on what success does to people.
Be sure to follow Andrew Luce on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud and look out for his remix of Twista’s – ‘Wetter’ set to drop later this week! Also check out our artist spotlight on Andrew from last month.
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