Berkshire-born musician Lorne has just released his latest EP ‘Maze’ via Bushy Records. The classically trained pianist cites Peter Gabriel as an exceptional source of inspiration, and his emotive sound developed after he discovered the artist in his teens. His recent singles ‘Oil And Water’ and ‘Navigate’ have been met with a favourable review, and his captivating vocal work and thought-provoking lyrical content are cementing his reputation as an artist to keep an eye on.
We caught up with Lorne for a chat about his creative process, and his thoughts on songwriting and recording.
Tell us about you, how long have you been producing music? What did inspire you to start?
I lived in Barcelona when I was 20 years old and it was during this time that I started to create demo material. I was inspired by Peter Gabriel when I was 18 years old, so my early ideas were heavily influenced by his music. My setup was just a microphone, MIDI keyboard and Logic Pro in my bedroom.
The music industry is super competitive these days, was there a moment in your life that you wanted to give up on music? How did you manage to stay focused and achieve what you want?
The music industry is tricky and I regularly ask myself whether I should devote my time to easier projects. However, writing music is something I need to do and there’s nothing that can replace it. When I get a message from someone on the other side of the world who has connected with my music, it is encouraging and makes me remember that music is a gift for other people. I enjoy the writing process, but the task of finding the right people to record, mix, rehearse, perform and promote can be a minefield.
How would you describe your creative processes? Who writes the lyrics to the songs? Are the music and lyrics written in conjunction, or separately?
The origin of each song is an emotion. To start, I put down some single words, short phrases and lyrics on a piece of paper that come from the emotion. I will then sit at the piano with the lyrical ideas and look for some chords that resonate with the emotion. I will then string it together bit by bit and use Logic Pro to arrange the demo. I usually live with a song for a few months before I record it in the studio.
Where the inspiration comes from?
Most of my songs are inspired by people and relationships. Cocoon, Oil and Water and Navigate, which are on my debut EP Maze, are all based on a relationship. However, Bread Alone is about life and I have a song called Here Come The Sharks, which is about politics and power.
What’s your favourite track from the upcoming album and what other bands/artists are you listening to right now?
I have a soft spot for my debut single Bread Alone, but it depends on my mood. When I’m feeling good, I like listening to Navigate.
What’s next for you?
I have a gig at The Finsbury in London on Friday 19th January and a spot at a BBC Introducing Festival in the summer!
