Q&A: LAAKE Gets Shocking Creativity with 'VOLT'
LAAKE'S LATEST ALBUM VOLT IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL MUSIC CREATION STORY. A near-fatal electric shock from a malfunctioning lamp rewired his artistic vision. Initially intended as a solo piano album, 'VOLT' now propels listeners into a mesmerizing journey, animated by an inner force.
LAAKE's piano prowess is marked by lightning-speed precision, capturing a vibrant energy that transcends the usual concert hall tranquility. Despite his classical instrument, he's delved into various soundscapes, from electronic collaborations with artists like Laurent Garnier to orchestral performances. VOLT enriched by ten musicians from diverse backgrounds, boasts a cinematic grandeur, transitioning toward a pop-infused realm while retaining its classical core. The album's concept, sparked by his electrocution, centers on electricity, resulting in a brighter, more human sound. It's a testament to LAAKE's fearless approach, proving that great pain can birth great achievements.
Read below to learn more about the making of the project nd what’s next for LAAKE.
LUNA: Congratulations on the release of 'VOLT.' Can you start by telling us about the inspiration behind this album and any common themes you were drawn to?
LAAKE: This album was originally intended to be an acoustic solo piano album, it's a project I've wanted to carry out for years. But during the recording of the first track of the album, I suffered an electrocution by touching with my arm an old metal lamp, I was barefoot. The impact was so strong that I was thrown backwards. I was burnt on several parts of my body. After a check-up at the hospital, I suffered a psychological trauma that lasted a year, I was unable to touch a switch or screw in a light bulb. I'm not usually a fan of big concepts because I work on instinct, but for this album, the concept was already written because of this electrocution. I decided to make electricity the main theme of this album. I wanted to turn my painful experience into a force.
LUNA: ‘VOLT' is your second full-length album. How do you feel your sound and style have evolved since your earlier work?
LAAKE: The very first EP '69' released in 2015 was composed of rather songwriter-oriented tracks. The piano was already present, but it wasn't at the center of attention. It was with my second EP "PIAANO" released in 2017 that my style really asserted itself. It was with this EP that I came up with the idea of layering pianos, and assuming a very electronic and dark side at the same time. The 1st album "O" released in 2020, in the middle of the covid period, was a childhood dream to me to record with an orchestra made up of strings and brass. It was from this album onwards that the orchestral side of my music really took hold, while still retaining this very electronic side. With this new album, "VOLT", I wanted to keep the orchestral side of my music, but I also wanted to move away a little from electro, notably by working with a drummer. It's a much brighter album than the previous ones. It's also the album with the most instruments. So I could say that, as the years go by, my creations get more and more loaded, and I think it's time to simplify a bit for the next album :)
LUNA: The title 'VOLT' suggests energy and electricity. How does this concept translate into the music and themes explored on the album?
LAAKE: From the very first track on the album, 'VOLT', the notion of electricity is present, with fast-moving string and piano arpeggios intertwining like 2 electric currents. There's also a big build-up of power with cello sounds that I've distorted, as if it were an electric guitar. The moment of my electrocution is often materialized at the end of tracks by a very abrupt stop to the music, like a court-circuit. I also play a lot with crazy synthesizer arpeggios that could materialize free electrons, I distort my voice by pitching it down, electricity is everywhere on this album. The notion of urgency is very present in this album, the tracks are short and follow one another without a break, as if I wanted to keep the electric current flowing between each track without ever stopping it.
LUNA: Which track is your favorite from this project?
LAAKE: My favorite track on the album is ITHAPPENED. It's the track with the heaviest story too, as I electrocuted myself while recording it. That's why it's called "ITHAPPENED". It's a bit different from the others, with its jazz and oriental sounds. I recorded the trumpet solo by myself, even though I'm not a trumpet player. Later, in the studio, I asked my trumpeter to improvise, and I superimposed several parts of his improvisations on the end of the piece. It also ends very abruptly, like the shock I experienced. The synthesizers represent electricity and the distorted voices represent the human scream, the pain I felt.
LUNA: Your music often combines elements of electronic and classical music. How do you approach blending these two genres, and what do you find most exciting about this fusion?
LAAKE: I don't see them as different elements, but rather as complementary. Synthesizers are instruments, just as classical instruments can be machines. It all depends on the interpretation. That's why my music can please to electro fans, just as it can to an older audience who swear by classical music. Strings, for example, can express so many different things, but it's the dramatic side that interests me. Brass instruments, on the other hand, have an epic quality. All these feelings can be expressed with synthesizers too. What interests me above all is the mix of genres and instruments. Electronic music can go with any style, that's its main quality.
LUNA: Give us some insight into the collaborations on this project and how these collaborations influenced the album's direction.
LAAKE: This album was recorded with 10 musicians from the worlds of contemporary and classical music: a string quartet, a brass quartet, a drummer and a clarinetist. I recorded with musicians I knew, since most of them were my live musicians. They helped me directly in the studio to optimize what I had composed, as I had no classical background. I've learned to write scores with software, but I can't read them. I spent a total of 10 days in the studio, but the whole album was composed at home. It's important for me to surround myself with musicians, because I need to get out of my home studio, and I'm also more of an improviser in the studio. For some tracks, I hadn't written a score, and by talking with my musicians, we built certain parts on the spot, and I love that way of working. For the recording of the rhythm section, we spent 4 days at ICP Studios in Belgium (Brussels) where we really improvised and tested a lot of things, which was very inspiring.
LUNA: This album is being released in both audio and visual formats. Can you tell us about the visual component of 'VOLT' and how it complements the music?
LAAKE: The visual part of my project is very important, I worked as a freelance graphic designer and art director for 10 years in Paris and I create all the visuals by myself. I learnt to make music videos on my own, at the time of my first EP "69" released in 2015. After that I directed, edited and colour-graded the next five videoclips. I now work with directors who are friends of mine. The challenge is to form a team with people who are enthusiastic and committed to each project. Budgets are often small, and we have to think about how to optimize the scenarios to produce the best possible music video. I'm involved in writing and directing the clips, from start to finish. The good thing about my music is that most of it is instrumental, which leaves plenty of scope for imagining different worlds. A recurring theme in my videos is the parallel between nature and the city, light and shadow, man and machine. I like to play with contrasts and paradoxes.
LUNA: You've performed at various venues and festivals. How do you approach bringing your music to a live audience, and what can fans expect from your upcoming live shows?
LAAKE: The stage is very important to me, coming as I do from a rock background. It's the place where you can share something strong with the audience. Composing in the studio is a very personal thing for me, and I want to involve as few people as possible in the process. On stage, it's the complete opposite. I want to be able to unite as many people as possible and this audience will help me to transcend my music. It really gives meaning to what I do. I've always had a tendency to think big, so I wanted to put on a show with lots of musicians. We are nine people on stage: a string quartet, a drummer, a bassist and 2 brass/percussionists. And also 4 technicians who accompany us: a sound engineer, a monitor sound engineer, a stage manager and a lighting engineer. We've already done a week's residency in a concert hall to get ready, and we've already done a few dates with the new live set-up.
LUNA: What intentions do you have for the upcoming months?
LAAKE: I'm going to rest a little because the last 2 years have been very intense for me. But the tour will start very soon, and I'm already thinking about the next album in my head. In recent months I haven't had much opportunity to make music, as I've been concentrating on promotion, music videos and visuals. I'm a bit frustrated by that, so I'm really keen to get back to composing and recording.
