For Canadian-based electronic outfit, Holy Fuck, the genesis of the group’s latest track “Luxe” came to fruition out of mere experimentation and killer collaboration with Hot Chip‘s lead vocalist, Alexis Taylor. The release of “Luxe” marks new material from Holy Fuck since 2017’s Bird Brains EP. The group’s last full-length release was their fourth studio album, 2016’s Congrats.
The band’s current roster consists of Brian Borcherdt (keyboards/effects), Graham Walsh (keyboards/effects), Matt McQuaid (bass) and Matt Schultz (drums). According to a press release, “Luxe” is “…an epic, sprawling beast of a track that started life as a spontaneous encore at a show in Luxembourg, Belgium. Once the early elements of the track had been worked on in the studio they sent it, amongst a collection of other demos, to their good friend and casual musical mentor Kieran Hebden – aka Four Tet – who immediately picked up on ‘Luxe’ as a stand-out. They then invited Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor to listen with a view to providing the vocal. He not only jumped at the opportunity, but headed off to Jack White’s Third Man Studio in Nashville to record his part on his extremely rare 1947 Voice-O-Graph.”
The track “Luxe” is an amalgamation of synthesizers, drums and other effects that make for an entrancing listen. Immediately, the track draws listeners in with a groove that slowly builds and comes complete with captivating guest vocals from Alexis Taylor that complement what the track is bringing to the table. What’s equally interesting is how the inception of the track came together as the band explains:
“The next moment of discovery came when Graham suggested the band scrap Brian’s vocals and give it to Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip. When we presented Alexis with the concept our reference notes to him, based around Brian’s temporary vocals, were ‘like an old sample you’d dig up off an old folk record… and approached more like a classic house track’. He responded, ‘We could try to record the vocal in a Voice O Graph booth (an obsolete 1940s coin operated phonograph booth) if we can access one…’. As far as we’re aware, there are only two in the world – one in Liverpool (that apparently doesn’t work anymore) and the other at Jack White’s Third Man studio in Nashville. And that is where Alexis sang ‘I’d like to scrap all of this and start over again.’ Fittingly, it was New Year’s Eve.“
To listen to “Luxe” stream below, via YouTube.
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna
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