Lex Luca is UK producer AKA DJ Alex Kenning. Included in Mixmag?s coveted Ones To Watch feature in 2018, he has scored releases on VIVa, Nervous & Desert Hearts, and has a regular show on Rinse FM. Clocking up over a million streams on Spotify, his music has been played on BBC Radio 1 with club support from Richy Ahmed, Marco Corola, Paco Osuna and many more.
His DJ career has taken him all around the world from Ibiza & Berlin, to Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Japan and beyond, playing alongside the likes of Dubfire, Derrick Carter, Harry Romero, Laurent Garnier and Eli & Fur.
He established his label In Tune in 2017 as an outlet for his own productions as well as to support other artists, and has just released a package of remixes to celebrate the label?s third anniversary.
LEX LUCA INTERVIEW WITH FRANKIE SALT
We have all felt the need to escape into another world at points over the last few months.. Have any music products helped you to do this? (e.g. noise cancelling headphones for on the move, sleep apps etc)
I?ve gone back to the old school and spend a healthy amount of time sorting through my vinyl collection. Something I haven?t prioritised over the last few years; it?s been a form of escapism for me.
Have you found any apps really useful when traveling locally?
Honestly, in ear headphones, my phone & Dropbox, Soundcloud and Spotify have been my saviour when travelling locally.
What products have you purchased over the last few months, which have helped you to find new spots to go to which are safe for social distancing etc?
I?ve been hiding in my studio. It?s probably one of the safest places to be!
How has the lack of international travel options affected you? Have you found that you have explored more within your home country?
I was due to go on a tour to Costa Rica over Easter before the lockdown restrictions took over, so it was a disappointing to have to postpone that. I?ve also had to postpone plans I had for trips to Madrid, along with IMS and ADE. I?m a keen traveller and it?s one of the perks of DJ?ing in new places, but I haven?t felt the calling to explore more within the UK as of yet.
I?m lucky that I live close to some super green spaces and I?ve been focusing on meditation, yoga, running etc, and keeping as disciplined as I can working on music ideas every day.
You’ve just released a remix EP celebrating three years of your label, InTune. What have been the most rewarding and challenging aspects of running your own label?
It?s always super rewarding to hear music on my label, on Radio 1, or played in clubs. Signing music from some of the producers that inspired me, from Harry Romero to Junior Sanchez and now DJ Sneak, has also been a highlight. And of course, providing a platform for the new generation of talent is also very rewarding.
I think the main challenge is to make sure the right people hear the music. The tastemakers, DJs, blogs magazines etc who have mountains of music to get through at the best of times and I know from my own experiences, it?s so easy to miss great records. Right now, it?s even more challenging because there?s very limited number of club sets worldwide. We want the club music we release to do as well as possible and without the live sector, there are way less opportunities for the music to be played in that setting.
Have you hired a campervan, bought any cool products for camping or simply been to a cool local holiday spot?
With all the changing rules and restrictions, I?ve decided to stay away! Instead I?ve knuckled down and pretty much gone between my home and my studio. Had a few recommendations recently for Lake District, the Cotswolds and Devon so I?m currently looking into options as we speak!
Tell us more about your current exciting music projects or a new skill you are learning?
I?ve just released the 3rd anniversary release for my label In Tune which features two spicy hot remixes. One is from rising star, Romanian producer Horatio. The other is from Rare Two Inc, the killer collab project from icon DJ Sneak alongside engineering whizz Tripmastaz. They have combined to full effect. Excited to unleash this to the world.
I?m lining up a set of In Tune label releases for 2021. And personally, as mentioned I?ve been working a lot in my studio of late, and I?ve basically switched up and upgraded my studio set up, playing around with a whole new sound palette and experimenting with a bunch of styles & genres too!