Australian electronic musician Anna Lunoe grew up discovering music the old-fashioned way: digging through crates of vinyl records at her local record store. “I was trying to find stuff my brothers didn’t know so I could one-up them,” Lunoe jokes on her website.
These days, what’s old is new again and many kids have rediscovered the joy of analog music. “Everything is data, everything is disposable,” Lunoe tells EW. “When you look at an analog photo it feels a little more special. People are more interested in something that might be a little more rare and one-off.”
Despite growing up on vintage records, Lunoe loves electronic dance music. Her childhood appetite for new music has spilled over into her adult work as a producer, DJ and house musician. “When I play a house mix, I put in all different kinds of house,” Lunoe says, adding that she frequently blends elements of hip hop in her work. “I like to cross genres, keep it interesting, mix it the way it makes sense in my head.”
The 2013 Anna Lunoe & Friends EP is steady house music beats, soulful vocals and tons of disco pizzazz. “Real Talk” kicks off with a deconstructed drum line reminiscent of “Need You Tonight” by fellow Aussie rockers INXS. Soon the throb of the club takes over, layers of sound envelop you and you’re swept away with Lunoe as she guides you through her sassy funhouse of texture and sound.
Unlike some electronic musicians, Lunoe feels performance is a central part of what she does. “Anyone who’s seen me live has said I have a lot of energy,” Lunoe says. “I love the music I play and it shows.”
Anna Lunoe plays with Hamilton Beach 10 pm Friday, March 7, at Cozmic; $10.