MUSIC MUST-HAVE: Lua C. – Souled Out
What I like about Lua C’s production is that it is clean. Maybe that subtle jazziness is not your thing; however, you cannot deny the fact that it all comes together in a relatively timeless package.
I discovered Lua by accident while surfing Soundcloud. Sometimes, accidental discoveries turn out to be the best types of discoveries. From the first track that I heard, I was instantly captivated by his sound which he dubs soul-hop (another sign that this chance encounter is less of an accident). Lua’s sound is a fusion of jazz, soul and hip-hop. I can’t quite explain the composition; however and again, it all fits so nicely together.
Lua’s latest offering is a five track jaunt entitled “Souled Out”. So I guess now is about as good a time as any to let you know that Lua is a devout Christian; therefore, “Souled Out” takes on a double meaning. First, it is a testament that Lua is souled out to Christ; and, it is evident in his work. Second, the soulful stylings of this project make it an obvious title for this mini-project.
The underlying theme for this project seems to be chaos. You can hear this in the tracks “Golden Hour” and “Subsolaneous” very clearly. What is nice about this ‘chaos’, however, is the fact that it is not random in any sense of the term. It is a well thought out and organized blend of musical elements that just come together seamlessly.
The Jazz influence is heavy throughout the project. For me, that is the icing on the cake! The use of horns, uprights and jazz kits takes Lua’s work to a whole new dimension. “The Mingan Hustle” and “Downtown Harvey” are prime examples.
To wrap it all up, Lua presents us with “Sunlit Fable” – a smooth, soulful, ride-out type of track. There is nothing complicated about this one, and yet it is easily at home in the midst of the other pieces offered on this project!
I downloaded “Souled Out” and popped it in the ride first thing in the morning. I rolled my windows down and opened the sunroof as I got ready for my morning drive. Even though my commute is a short one, blasting Lua C’s “Souled Out” transformed my drive from a routine into an escape. For all my beat-heads, you will definitely want to download “Souled Out” and give Lua a follow on Soundcloud, Twitter or wherever else you can find him.
This one gets a 4.5/5.