Luke Smith (record producer)

From 2003 to 2005, Smith founded with Barry Dobbin and provided lead guitars and vocals for the band Clor.[1] He co-wrote and produced their eponymous sole album which was released in 2005[2] to critical acclaim.[3][4][5] In May 2006, Smith and his co-founder announced Clor had split up.[6] Later, in 2010, their album was voted number 1 topping NME's “100 greatest albums you've never heard".[7][8]

In 2007 to present, Smith has produced a number of critically acclaimed releases.[9] Of his work, Smith’s most noted is his production of the seminal second album Total Life Forever by Foals in Gothenburg in 2010[10] and programming of the twelfth studio album Sounds of the Universe by Depeche Mode in 2009.[11][12] Amongst others, Smith also produced the debut album Kingdom of Fear by Shitdisco in 2007 which was awarded 9/10 by NME,[13] the second Slow Club album, Paradise, in 2012[14][15] which was given 8 out of 10 by Drowned in Sound magazine,[16] produced the second album I’m Leaving by Is Tropical in 2013[17][18] which received 8/10 on the popular music blog, The 405.[19] In 2014, Smith produced the much-lauded debut EP King of Anxiety by Petite Noir[20] on Domino records which received outstanding reviews in i-D magazine and The Guardian.[21][22] and has gone on to see its track "Chess" streamed over 3,000,000 times on Spotify. "Chess" also appears on the debut album La Vie Est Belle / Life Is Beautiful by Petite Noir released on Domino.

Smith also produced the 2007 EP The Ides by Fryars,[23] the 2009 single Photoshop Handsome by Everything Everything,[24] 2009 album New Worlds for Charlotte Hatherley,[25] the Champion Sound single for Crystal Fighters[26][27] in 2011, the 2012 fourth album of Eugene McGuinness titled Invitation to the Voyage,[28] the 2013 debut album Theme Park by Theme Park[29][30] and Fryars' second album Power in 2014.[31][32]

Production work took place in 2014 and 2015 on the third album by Is Tropical which is awaiting release.

In 2015, Smith also produced the Hype Machine no. 1 single The Dreamer by hotly-tipped Norwegian artist Anna of The North which was released on Different Recordings / PIAS and has been streamed over 6 million times on Spotify. Luke has also finished work on Anna’s debut LP.

He has writing credits on a number of these recordings; he co-wrote The King of Anxiety, the debut EP by Petite Noir, from which the song "Chess" has over 3,000,000 streams on Spotify.

2016/17 will see the release of a number of other of Luke’s production work. Part Company, the French indie pop band from Nice, released their Smith-produced debut album on Label Gum (Woodkid, Herman Dune), the third album by Is Tropical, new album by Crystal Fighters 'Everything Is In My Family' was released in October 2016 on [PIAS], the debut album Lovers by Anna Of The North on Different Recordings / [PIAS] is out on 8 September 2017[33], Yasmine Hadman's 2nd solo album Al Jamilat which came out in March 2017[34], Noémi Wolfs' album on Universal 'Hunts You' and Highs debut album 'Dazzle Camouflage' on Indica Records.

His recordings have been released on labels Mute, Parlophone, Domino, Pias, Moshi Moshi, Kitsune, Transgressive, Geffen.[35]

Smith is a multi-instrumentalist and provides guitar and keyboard performances, amongst other instruments played by him, on nearly all of his productions.

In 2014, Smith was appointed and worked as the Musical Director of Lily Allen's Sheezus world tour[36] which played in the UK, Europe, US and Australia.[37] He played guitar live as well as being responsible for the show's music at large.

In 2015, Smith began working on an artist project with Charles Watson of Slow Club. Their song Wind Blows having featured on a BBC Radio 4 series.

Smith is well known for his remix work and has put his name to remixes of Hotride by The Prodigy[38][39] and After Dark by Le Tigre[40][41] in 2004, Perfume by Sparks[42][43] in 2006, Nothing But Green Lights by Tom Vek[44][45] and Sister In Love by Envelopes[46][47] in 2005, X-ray by The Macabees,[48][49][50] Behave by Charlotte Hatherley[51][52] and Reactor Party by Shitdisco[53][54][55] in 2006, Benedict Arnold by FrYars[56][57] in 2008. Smith going under the name Lagos Boys Choir also remixed the hit singles Focker by Late Of The Pier, Bullet Proof by La Roux and Miles Away by Depeche Mode throughout 2008 and 2009.[58][59]

In 2010, the album Sounds of the Universe was nominated and shortlisted for the Best Alternative Music Album award in the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.[60]

In 2010, the album Total Life Forever was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize.[61]

His work Spanish Sahara, the lead single off the album, won the 'Best Song' award at the NME Awards in 2011.[62]