Lust Era sound like a modern-day Joy Division, if only it were for occasional similarities. But categorizing their sound, and music, is not something they care about. Before grouping Lust Era into a genre, and writing them off with banal comparisons, it’s best to hear it from them. The group describes what they’re about as “raw, wiry, and dark romanticism.” Ideas first, that they translate through sound engineering. And it’s this approach to their craft that has allowed David A. Arraya and Luis Sepulveda, the two multi-talented artists from Puerto Rico, to retain complete control over their sound, and create musical ideology.
Lust Era spoke to Musica Roots about how our obsession with instant gratification inspired their namesake, their impressive instrumental resume, and their upcoming West Coast tour kicking off in Los Angeles this week.
Musica Roots: Where does the name Lust Era come from?
Lust Era: The name mirrors our modern times…even though abundance is our present and future, people usually gravitate toward whatever brings them ephemeral gratification.
MR: That sounds about right. Tell us about your sound.
LE: The sound of Lust Era is difficult to pin down. It’s something we barely talk about while writing music and trying to classify it is not something we really care about. There’s definitely certain stylistic leanings we gravitate towards when working on stuff, however, they seem to get blurred once we are in the studio.
MR: And you both are multi-instrumentalists?
LE: Yes, we both play different instruments. I (David) personally think that once you become proficient in any area you become too comfortable and the process could become a bit stale. This is the reason we like to switch instruments while recording and do whatever feels right (or wrong). We both play guitar, bass, keyboards, drum machines, percussion…and make music more as creative directors. Technology is a wonderful thing!
MR: It really is, especially in the music industry. Tell us about your creative process.
LE: Our creative process usually starts with an idea…It often ends totally different from when we started. As far as composing, we usually read, research, or listen to something that catches our attention, let it sit for a while, and if it still resonates after a few days we get busy. We usually work pretty fast, sort of like keeping a diary. Lyrics and vocals are usually done by me (David) but we’ve had guest vocalists in the past.
MR: Sounds like you guys really do it all.
LE: We have never worked with a producer, but if we ever meet the right person we would definitely do it. We know how to record and engineer our music, so it’s something we’ve never thought about to be honest.
MR: Any musical influences?
LE: Bands like The Fall, Suicide, Fad Gadget, Cabaret Voltaire, Metal Urbain, Wu Tang Clan, 39 Clocks, Xiu Xiu, New Order, La Lupe, Iggy Pop, The Birthday Party, and Nick Cave are some on the top of our list.
MR: We’ll have to look up some of those…What’s your earliest musical memory?
LE: I’m (David) a child of the 80’s so my earliest musical memories come from hanging out with my single mother listening to Depeche Mode at a hair salon waiting for her to get her hair done. Go figure!
MR: What’s the latest single and what else can we expect from Lust Era?
LE: The latest single is “Ghost Rider,” it’s a cover from the band Suicide. Before that we digitally released: “Hombre Imaginario,” “Cuerpo y Veneno,” and “Noche Fenomenal.” Available on our Bandcamp page! Right now we’re planning to start working on our third album. It’s still in the pre-production stage at the moment. We might start recording once we get back from our upcoming tour. Stay tuned!
MR: You guys are starting your tour in LA this week, then what?
LE: Yes, the tour starts on March 31st in LA and ends in Vancouver on April 15. We fly back home after that, play a date or two in Puerto Rico and might go to South America for a few dates, but that’s still being discussed.
MR: That’s awesome, good luck! What do you guys envision for Lust Era in the next year?
LE: We hope that in the next year we can finish an album we are comfortable with, keep on experimenting with sounds, visuals, and art, and tour Europe, since we have never been there.
MR: Any last words for Musica Roots?
LE: We want to thank you for taking your time and having a chat with us. It is our pleasure! And thanks to everyone that has supported our music in one way or another.
Check out Lust Era on social media and see the video for their single “Noche Fenomenal” here.
Facebook: Lust Era
Instagram: @lust_era
Bandcamp: Lust Era
Soundcloud: Lust Era
