Today we are pleased to welcome our next guest, Luke Garcia, to Techno Mood. An artist who needs little introduction, Luke Garcia has just debuted on the iconic UK imprint Renaissance with his ‘Ecro EP’. The EP adds to Luke’s enviable CV that includes the likes of Innervisions, Tau, Borders Of Light, Sum Over Histories and more. Enjoy!

Hey Luke, looking forward to speaking to you today. Whereabouts are you speaking to us from?
Madrid, Spain. I have lived in several countries throughout my career, but before the pandemic I became a father and we settled permanently in my hometown.

We’re speaking to you today regarding your forthcoming EP on Renaissance titled ‘Ecro’. It’s your debut release with Renaissance. Can you tell us a little bit about how that came about and what it means to be releasing with them?
About 20 years ago, we used to go out as ravers to a club in Madrid where Hernan Cattaneo, Sasha and John Digweed used to come to play. I was fascinated by their music, and bought Renaissance records that they played in their sets. I have dreamed of releasing music on this label since those years, and about 5 months ago when I sent this release to Marcus, and he told me that I was in the Renaissance family, I told my best friends, my wife and my mom!!! It was an unforgettable day for me, that YES moment.

Lockdown affected many, if not all of us in different ways. How were you affected by this change and is the release inspired by this?
The world confinement was a slab for me. I had several stages in the 100 days that we were in Spain without leaving home. First I had a few weeks of disbelief, then general discouragement and then a helplessness that the last thing I wanted was to make music. But when we had been locked up for about 60 days, my wife talked to me and I had a total change in my energy and in my way of coping with what was happening. I sat with my twin sons in the home studio and while playing, we began to make some melodies and chords that later became the beginning of ‘Ecro’, the track that gives the EP its name and that for me is the most special of my career. A few days later, when the idea was almost the track as you know it now, Fiil was born. Those were very intense weeks in my home studio. Then, the Kiberu remix has been one of the best pieces of luck in recent months. I have met a great producer and also gained a friend. He is someone with incredible talent and a 10 person. He has done magic with a totally different vision of Ecro. He has hit the center of the dance floor.

Can you tell us about your early musical influences and what first led you to producing and DJing?
My process as an artist began first as a DJ. At the age of 16, I learned to mix vinyl by myself at home because my father had been given 2 Technics pulley vinyls and a Rodec mixer in a card tournament. A few days later I asked him for some money and bought my first vinyls to try to make my first mixes. I had a good time. I broke more than one needle but over time I found my technique. I liked to play disco music and R&B. Before I turned 18 and started my university studies (Economics), my father talked to a friend of his who had clubs in Madrid and they gave me the opportunity to play in the afternoons of one of the best clubs in my city. That’s where it all started. Within a few months he was already playing on the main stage of the club at night.
I decided to learn to produce my own music, but about 20 years ago (the DAWs were not as good as they are now), I thought it was better to train in music theory and play the piano. And I spent 5 years taking harmony, music theory and piano classes. That helped me a lot to later be sure that what I liked the most was producing my own music…
Over the years, and with the help of some great producers in my city, I started working with Logic and Ableton.

We’d love to hear about your creative process when making music. How do you usually approach making a track and do you have any favorite pieces of equipment in particular?
My studio sessions are usually well thought out and worked out in advance in my head, with pencil and paper. I like to write down what’s going on in my head beforehand and play the melodies on the piano. I usually work with 2 Daws, Logic and Ableton and countless plugins but my favorite is Omnisphere. And with some external synthesizers I have done my best work: Behringer Model D, Minimoog Model D and NordStage 32. I have many moments in my day to day that inspire me. I live near the countryside and the mountains, which gives me an excellent state of mind to create music. I do a lot of sports, it keeps my mind active and awake. And on the other hand, my children (twins) and my wife, give me that mental stability that is so necessary in the life of a DJ and producer, where we are always on an eternal roller coaster of emotions, travel and job instability.

What are you most looking forward to now everything is starting to go back to normal?
My facet as a producer is what I like the most in my career. Creating music is one of the things that fills me the most in life. I am happy in my studio. But it is true that taking your music live is something that fulfills you as a musician. Being able to make people dance to your own music anywhere in the world is a pleasure that very few other professions can give you.
Before the global pandemic, I released music through Innervisions and received many requests to play during the summer and fall of 2020, for more than 15 countries. All of that was postponed or mostly cancelled. I can’t wait for everything to be 100% reactivated.

Kiberu has done a lovely remix on the EP. Were you happy with the outcome and what brought you two together?
The Kiberu remix has been a godsend. I knew the producer and artist but not the person, and life has given me an incredible gift. His remix is just what the release needed to be round and I’ve also gained a friend and a great person. Renaissance and I talked about looking for a remixer and all roads led us to Kiberu. It has been a total success and we are sure that his remix will go far on the dance floors.

Where can our readers expect to catch you this year?
Soon I will be in Mexico, Israel, the United States, Morocco, Tunisia, Moscow, Madrid, Barcelona, Switzerland… and Ibiza, among many others…

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