Martin Luke Brown
'Take Out of Me' EP
Released 27 April 2015.
Already championed by the likes of Zane Lowe, Tom Robinson and Dean Jackson after his self-released debut single ‘Nostalgia’, Martin Luke Brown will commence his new deal with Parlophone with the release of the ‘Take Out Of Me’ EP on April 27th.
‘Take Out Of Me’ offers a snapshot of Martin’s musical approaches. The angsty stomp of the title track “reflected a rebellious year after leaving London, where I just indulged in various things and it ultimately left me feeling a bit empty.” Meanwhile, ‘Stitch’ recounts his emotions during a fading relationship, while the other two songs – ‘Thorns’ and the stripped back ‘Bring It Back To Me’ – are tributes to the support of his family.
The ability of the Internet to launch the careers of upcoming musicians is well documented, but even now it’s surprising to see how everything can change in an instant. When Martin was invited to record a session for Dean Jackson’s show The Beat on BBC Radio Nottingham, it was obvious that it was a golden opportunity but what happened next certainly surprised him.
“We recorded the session on the Thursday,” he recalls, still beaming at the memory. “It went live on the Saturday. We uploaded the video for Nostalgia on the Sunday, and by Monday we had interest from six labels. It was crazy.”
Although the manner of his sudden success was surprising, the reasons behind it are entirely apparent. Blessed with a voice that’s equally adept at delivering gritty soul as it is with his folk-infused falsetto, Martin’s songwriting represents the pure essence of his classic influences. It’s a trait that’s particularly evident in ‘Nostalgia’ – a song that reflected the experiences of his friends who were finishing university or leaving home, but which possesses a universal theme that reflects the experiences that almost everyone shares.
Growing up in Leicester, Martin would absorb the sounds of his parents’ record collection: The Kinks, ELO, Simon & Garfunkel and their contemporaries, although he’d often be found playing the family’s piano rather than listening to music himself. He acknowledges the likes of Paolo Nutini, George Ezra, Adele and Sam Smith as contemporary artists that he admires for their honesty, but he’s more likely to spin some Motown or Northern Soul if he has a quiet Sunday afternoon.