With The Beamer, his new album as Spacer, Luke Gordon succeeds in making music that works on the dance floor without alienating home listeners. In the interview below, Gordon discusses that challenge, his creative process, his relationship with technology, and why he chose the name “Spacer.”
What kind of musical background do you have?
Luke Gordon: “I was in school bands from about the age of 13, writing music and playing bass guitar. Then I got into engineering and the sound side of things. I went to a sound engineering college, and from there I got a job at a studio in London called Milo. That’s where I really started getting into computers and samplers, mostly because a lot of the bands coming through were electronic. That’s also where I met Howie B.”
Did working in a studio influence the way your music evolved?
Luke Gordon: “Definitely. When you’re immersed in a studio with other musicians for weeks at a time, it’s bound to influence you. I don’t do it as much these days, but it’s a healthy thing — working with other people and then going home to work on your own music. You learn from other people’s mistakes and techniques. It keeps things fresh.
I actually find it hard to sit and listen to albums at home. I find it much easier to work on music in a studio environment. That’s where most of my inspiration comes from. DJing helps too, because it forces you to really listen to music and keep your mind open.”
Do you ever use DJing as a way to test out new material?
Luke Gordon: “Only really with this album. With The Beamer, the idea was to make it more dancefloor-friendly. The first two albums were much more downbeat. I’m very critical of my own music, so I usually find it difficult to play my own tracks out. But with this one, that was the whole idea — that people could DJ it.”
When you write songs, do you tend to start with electronics or live instruments?
Luke Gordon: “The important thing is balance. A song can start either way — from a sample or from a live musician — as long as there’s a balance between the two. Sometimes it starts with a synth line, then I’ll add samples or have someone play Rhodes over it. Other times it might start with a guitar sound. The key thing is finding that balance. That’s sort of my own rule.”
Are there any particular pieces of equipment that are essential to your music?
Luke Gordon: “I keep things pretty simple. I use Logic on a Macintosh, an Akai sampler, and a Nord Lead keyboard. Those are the three things I use on every track. If I had to choose, the sampler is probably the most important.”
Are you satisfied with current music technology? Is there anything you’d like to see that doesn’t exist yet?
Luke Gordon: “I’ve always thought there should be something that combines a sampler with an analog synth — something with hands-on controls that let you manipulate sounds easily. You can get close with some software, but nothing quite does it yet. I think that’s an area that could really be developed.”
When creating music, is it difficult to balance something that works both at home and in clubs?
Luke Gordon: “Yes, definitely. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be until I was halfway through the album. I originally wanted it to be like a DJ mix, where tracks flow into each other. But halfway through, I realized it wasn’t interesting enough for home listening.
That’s when I started adding more musical elements, like on ‘Houston’ and ‘Is It Real.’ Those tracks helped break things up. At the end of the day, an album has to work for people listening at home.”
Do you perform live as Spacer?
Luke Gordon: “Yes. Right now we do a two-person live show, similar to what Orbital or the Chemical Brothers do. It’s kind of halfway between a DJ set and a live performance.
I have a friend playing keyboards live, and I use sequencers and samplers that work like turntables. I mix tracks together and perform them live, so it’s very fluid and club-oriented.”
Why did you choose the name Spacer?
Luke Gordon: “I originally used it as a track name when I did something for Pussyfoot. I don’t even remember why I chose it. Later, I thought it worked better as an artist name than a song title. So I renamed the track ‘Fizzy Flesh’ and kept Spacer as the artist name. It just stuck.”
