Lonely Boy “I Like Disco” (Emperor Machine Disco to Do Special Extended Dub)

L.A.’s Lonely Boy is kicking off 2015 in fine form with a forthcoming release that’s already garnered the support of artists like Jonas Rathsman and Tensnake. His I Like Disco EP is set to drop next month on the UK label Futureboogie—available on vinyl February 9 and out digitally February 16—and includes a hypnotizing remix of the title track, courtesy of Emperor Machine. This extended dub is a spellbinding journey with an infectious bassline that’s fit to ignite any room with a disco ball.

Just a few weeks ago, Lonely Boy and I played a New Year’s Eve party at a Downtown Los Angeles warehouse, where I got to hear him spin a funky set. We caught up afterward to discuss how this release got signed, his aspirations for 2015, and his transformation as an artist.

Enjoy this groovy premiere, and be sure to grab the entire release next month.

That was a pretty wild New Year’s Eve party we played. How’d the rest of your night end up?
Indeed, it was! I think the warehouse was jam-packed by 11pm! Great vibes, great tunes, and I was in bed by 1am—a perfect NYE.

Starting off 2015 with an EP on Futureboogie isn’t a bad way to start the year. How did this relationship come to be?
I agree, and I’m definitely stoked to be working with Futureboogie. Honestly, it was about as straightforward as it comes. I had an EP ready to shop, and I love the label, so I emailed their general contact (which normally works 50 percent of the time or less) and asked how I could submit some music. I got a reply back pretty quickly.

I sent in a two-track EP, which I was very excited about, and although Steve (from Futureboogie) replied saying that he loved them, the label-heads could only agree on “The Subtle Frenzy.” I sent in a few more tunes that I had written off, and to my surprise, not only did they take them, but they made one the title track! Funny how things never work out quite how you’ve planned.

The synth work on all the tracks is really impressive. What kind of toys were you working with?
Well, thank you! I believe they are all a combination of the old reliable Juno-106 and my go-to beast in the box, Sylenth.

There are definitely a fair bit of nostalgic disco references throughout the package. Have you been spending some late nights under a disco ball?
I have, in fact, spent many a night under a disco ball, and I love me some good funk-driven disco; but the disco nods are just how this EP happened to come out. “I Like Disco” was actually born in a Denver hotel room in January 2012, when I was just starting to explore what would eventually become Lonely Boy. I was never sold on the original version, but I kept coming back to the vocal and wobbly synth line. It went through three versions before landing in its final state of dirty disco. “The Subtle Frenzy” had a much shorter journey. It poured out of me in one long session during a creative surge, which was a big turning point in my ongoing artistic transformation. After finishing that track and a tune called “Everything,” I really felt like I had connected to a deeper part of my soul. It was genuine emotion that has allowed me to become a more authentic artist.

What’s on tap for the rest of 2015?
2015 has started off with a great buzz. I feel like the last few years of work, change and creative discovery are starting to pay off, so I am excited to see what the rest of the year brings! Besides the Futureboogie release, I have several records lined up in the near future: “Don’t You Think” is coming out on Desert Hearts this month, “Everything” is coming out on Armada Deep in March, a collab with my friend Giom is in the works for Bunny Tiger, and my friend Atnarko has signed a few bits to his new label Infiltr8:Celebr8. Otherwise, I hope to keep connecting to that authentic creative place and making music that I love. If I can do that, the rest will fall into place.

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