New music to listen to this week: LUCA

Now Hear This

L U C A is a 27-year-old songwriter from London, who spent his childhood living vicariously through the mad dreams of the book-characters he loved.

After hearing Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" he picked up the guitar and began writing his own music, leading to the first single to be taken from his debut album: "Wales."

It's an impressive work; his beautiful falsetto drifts over the intricate instrumentation; whispery backing vocals and mournful horns sweep in like low tide.

Listen to the track below:

Q&A with LUCA

What are you listening to at the moment?

Always Leonard Cohen; then Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, Neil Young and Nick Drake, then there’s Anohni, Joanna Newsom and Patrick Watson; The Shins and Neutral Milk Hotel and lately a lot of Eliott Smith.

What are your plans for 2018?

I’ve written my first album, which I am currently recording with Bristol-based producer Dan Brown, so I’ll be releasing a few singles from that before a mid-year release. I want to play as many shows as I can, as many interesting, unique venues as possible and most importantly to keep writing; to be always writing.

What was the first gig you ever played and what’s been the best so far

When I was at university in Exeter I played an open-mic night at a little underground bar called The Angel. It was one of those bare-walled fairy-lit places and I did a cover of Hallelujah. I remember there being this electricity in the air that made me sure this was what I wanted to do forever.

The best gig I’ve ever played was last spring at The Great Escape. I supported This Is The Kit in an unfathomably beautiful church by the sea. It was a really special night for me, I had written a song for my friend who had died that winter and as I played it for the first time I watched the blue sky fade through a tiny window far above. It felt like something was happening and I’ll never forget that night.

What's the story behind "Wales"

Wales is the story of not being quite ready when you find the thing you truly love, and just missing out on it, and later realising that that’s alight; because for a while you had it and that was a very special thing indeed.

"Wales", the first single from LUCA, is out on 24 November via Heart Achers Records