RB Exclusive Interview: From M Machine to Luttrell – The Expansion of Sounds

Luttrell, who you may know as half of The M Machine, has been expanding his sound as a solo artist on the Anjunadeep label. His debut EP Need You was released in October and premiered on both Pete Tong and Annie Mac‘s radio shows. This melodic deep house direction is one that fans are responding to as Luttrell is easily becoming one of Anjunadeep’s rising stars.

We had the opportunity to ask Luttrell a few questions before he stops in Phoenix as part of the Anjunadeep Tour (tickets) this week:

You’ve had some pretty major success with The M Machine, having Metropolis I and II both reach the top of the Beatport charts. What made you want to head in this direction as a solo artist?

I have always found myself drawn to melodic techno and house music…there’s subtle bits of that sprinkled into some of the M Machine stuff I wrote (The song ‘A King Alone’ would be an example). I’ve thought about starting a solo melodic house/techno project alongside the M Machine stuff for years but didn’t really feel like committing to it until about a year ago, when the ‘Need You EP’ really started to come together…I was getting super nice feedback on the EP from my peers, so I figured it was time to make some moves with it. I shared the EP with Anjunadeep and they were feeling to direction, so that was about it! Seemed very natural. When things feel natural, it’s a good sign.

What have been some of the main differences between working on the OWSLA label to now working and touring on the Anjunadeep label?

The OWSLA team is awesome. They really take care of their people and invest a lot of time/effort/money into their artists. In the short time I’ve been involved with Anjunadeep, I feel like they’re very similar in that sense, albeit a lot more chilled out music-wise!

“Away” established you as an artist to watch on the Anjunadeep label, and garnered support from industry legends like Pete Tong and Claude VonStroke. How has it felt to receive such recognition this early on in your solo career?

The response to all of the Luttrell stuff has really exceeded my expectations. It’s an amazing feeling to have your art appreciated by people that you’ve admired for years. Pete Tong and Annie Mac have been playing tracks from the ‘Need You EP’ each week on BBCR1 for the past month…It’s so crazy.

Your sound seems to be a bit softer as Luttrell than it was as part of The M Machine. What’s the inspiration behind this change, or have you always wanted to go in that direction?

I have always had a soft spot for chilled out, melodic house music. Like I mentioned earlier, a little bit of that shined through in The M Machine’s ‘Metropolis’ stuff, and even songs like ‘So Change’ off the ‘Just Like EP’. So it’s always been there. It’s just with the Luttrell project that the more melodic and grooved out elements get to take center stage.

You released your first EP under the Anjunadeep label last month, and it’s fantastic! I love “Stormwatcher”. 2017 is right around the corner, what’s in store for next year?

Thanks! Stormwatcher was really fun to write, and I’m grateful people came to appreciate it for what it is; sounding a bit harder than the usual Anjunadeep stuff. I’m super excited about what’s up next in 2017. The response to the new unreleased tunes I’ve been playing out at these shows has been fantastic.

What can we expect on the Anjunadeep North American Tour from you and your colleagues?

You can expect to hear a lot of new stuff from me, and some truly beautiful sets from Theo Kottis and Yotto. Those guys are REALLY talented. I usually make it into the crowd for their sets, so if you see me out there (I’ll have a curly mustache), come say hi!

Luttrell hits Monarch Theatre on December 1st with Theo Kottis and Yotto. It’s a show you won’t want to miss; get tickets here!

Connect with Luttrell: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud