Luke Black presents intriguing new EP ‘F23.8’
Hotly-tipped ‘Serbian pop alchemist’ Luke Black follows lead single Amsterdam with beguiling EP ‘F23.8’.
Following a sold out tour in China and an explosive live performance at Berghain, Luke Black releases ‘F23.8’ an hypnotic exploration of ‘interrupted perceptions of reality’ through the lens of his own mental health journey and drawing sonic comparisons with artists such as Oklou and Sega Bodega.
The EP opens with ‘A House On The Hill’, a haunting scene-setting that suggests Slavic folk melodies, like the opening passages of a dark modern fairytale where all is not what it seems. The track showcases Luke Black’s stunning vocal range moving from lower register to operatic, demonstrative of his diverse musical influences that range from Lana Del Rey to Maria Callas.
‘Amsterdam’, the EP’s centre piece, translates this modern mystic melancholia into a hyper pop treasure. Opening with a hypnotic piano refrain before exploding into a ravey pop groove, we find Luke Black roaming the streets of Amsterdam, searching for human connection in the city’s many late night attractions and distractions. Pensive and psychedelic ‘Amsterdam’ is a showstopper that cements the artist as a huge alt-pop contender.
https://https://open.spotify.com/album/5jEowLA7IL7iSGcwI6pEGU?si=W22oDdo6QB6ZrIxBEIj26w
The EP closes with ‘238’, returning to the haunting vocal scope and energy of its opener. A powerful call to arms that references the project’s title ‘F23.8’, a diagnosis code for mental health experiences that ‘temporarily perceive reality incorrectly’.
Luke Black co-wrote and produced ‘F23.8’ with celebrated producers Davide Foti and Majed, embracing a new transcendent darkness that showcases a whole new creative chapter both sonically and aesthetically, working also with creative director Vasso Vu (Ashnikko, Caroline Polechek) to create the EP’s artwork and visual world.
This EP not only showcases Luke Black’s hypnotic vocal abilities but his vision as a cutting edge electronic artist, drawing on his cultural background to create leftfield pop that is as absorbing as it is memorable. Expect big things from this unique artist in 2023.
Luke Black says:
“The EP represents a story telling journey in the realm of interrupted perception of reality I was diagnosed with throughout the uneasy times of the pandemic battling with heartache and finding any means to escape.”
