Lake People – 8 Tracks Of Now

Music

Lake People is the solo project of Leipzig-based Martin Enke.

In his unpretentious way he has managed in a short time to create his own sonic universe. Rooted in the vastness of melancholic electronics Lake People produces a deep, organic house with depth and warmth.

He talks us through 8 tracks which inspire him, just as soon as he finishes telling us about his favourite artist;

"Boards Of Canada are probably my all-time top favourite artists, if I ever had to choose one. They were also the first who came to my mind when I thought about the following list of influential artists. But then I realised that they did not actually influence me that much, or if, then only in a very subtle way. It felt weird somehow, but maybe that is why they are my favourite producers. Their whole sound is so unique, that any obvious influence would probably sound like a copy immediately. And I actually also can’t think of any other artists where you can hear direct similarities. However, I just had to mention them. But actually, this isn't strictly a top-favourite track-list anyways. Rather the following tracks are kind of representative for things, which inspire me until today."

Lake People's 'Purposely Uncertain Field' is out now via Permanent Vacation.

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Brother's Yard - Firecracker

When I was a teenager I loved going to clubs to listen mostly to hard techno. Roughness is still something that can quickly catch my attention but never keeps me interested for very long. One of the first tracks I’ve heard that were able to present a technoid underground feeling in a softer way was Firecracker by Brothers Yard, a Peter Dundov project, released in 1999. That was maybe the first time that I recognised that deepness, even in Techno, has a bigger and longer effect on me regarding dance-music and also music in general, than other musical attributes like rawness, power or happiness. I still love this repetitive and electrifying synth sound in this track and I believe this track and similar ones influenced me sustainable.

Brother's Yard - Firecracker

When I was a teenager I loved going to clubs to listen mostly to hard techno. Roughness is still something that can quickly catch my attention but never keeps me interested for very long. One of the first tracks I’ve heard that were able to present a technoid underground feeling in a softer way was Firecracker by Brothers Yard, a Peter Dundov project, released in 1999. That was maybe the first time that I recognised that deepness, even in Techno, has a bigger and longer effect on me regarding dance-music and also music in general, than other musical attributes like rawness, power or happiness. I still love this repetitive and electrifying synth sound in this track and I believe this track and similar ones influenced me sustainable.
Aphex Twin - Schottkey 7th Path

My first Aphex Twin record was “Richard D. James“. I probably listend to it five days straight on repeat when I’ve first got it. But it is actually “Selected Ambient Works”, which I discovered only some time later, that became my favourite album by him. I love every single sound on it and it still inspires me today.
Autechre, Fold4,Wrap5

Autechre are, like Boards Of Canada, also in my top 5 of all-time favourite artists. While listening to them I realised that I’m really into long but repetitive soft melodies which are layered over some sort of mechanical beat. I always get addicted to that and could listen to it for hours probably. Also their complex rhythm-patterns do impress me a lot. This track is not even my favourite by them, but I like it a lot because of the beat. It does not have a constant speed but makes sense through its repetition. Its incredible.
Bola - Veronex Cypher

To wrap up the list of electronica ambient acts I feel like I have to mention him at this point too. In comparison to Aphex Twin or Autechre, he is not very well known but he is really good. Much more constant sounding and softer, though. But for me he is just the king of gluing elements together. His music is more than a beat with a melody on top of it. Every single element of sound is adjusted and set to be part of some sort of an more extensive melody, which is actually one of many keys to make a good track, but his focus on that is pure perfection.
Lawrence - Fifteen Minutes With You

Up to this day this track is able to show me the beauty of ambient in deep house. When I first heard it I only heard a few tracks like it and I still enjoy listening to it quite often.
Roman Flugel - Brian Le Bon

Maybe it’s also obvious that I like this track a lot, because of its ambient string-pads and the contrast to some rougher mechanical elements, but there was something else very impressive and new to me which i’ve discovered in it. It is this almost kind of jazzy, unpredictable style in which the drum and sound patterns are played or programmed in this track. He did this a lot on “Fatty Folders” but “Brian Le Bon” is probably the track where he mastered it, in my opinion.
Map.Ache - Carnival

I actually would not even say that his productions are a huge influence on me, but still, I often think of some of his tracks when i am producing. The remarkable thing is his ability to arrange the elements of house music in such a gentle and easy going manner. I’m very sure this sometimes really affected me, even though I have trouble naming something specific. But I truly love it.
Carl Craig - Sandstorms

When I heard that one for the first time, it immediately got 100% of my attention. Its super sexy, deep bass line, the epic feeling and this playful synth jamming which comes in later is just brilliant. Such sort of synth jammings, which appear only once, tell a story and bring true life and also additional groove into a track.