Luke Black unveils intriguing new EP "F23.8"

Hotly-tipped Serbian pop alchemist Luke Black follows lead single “Amsterdam” with beguiling EP F23.8, out 31st Jan via AWAL.

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.

Buy/Stream Luke Blake – F23.8

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.

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.”

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