Many of you may be looking for new music that sounds good and reflects modern life. Luke Marzec, a British singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, offers exactly that with his unusual combination of soulful roots and insightful storytelling. Living between London, Devon, and the Wye Valley, Marzec draws inspiration from both urban and rural environments, creating music that resonates with a wide audience.
If you value songs with depth and meaning, you will appreciate Marzec’s latest single, “Space To Be Free.” This track serves as a continuation of his debut album, Something Good Out of Nothing, which was released in two parts. The first half came out digitally on March 26, and the second half, including this new single, followed on August 18 via Swift Half Records. This innovative release strategy allows you to experience the album’s evolving themes gradually, offering a more profound look into Marzec’s reflections on life today.
“Space To Be Free” is not just a song; it is an anthem about the growing challenges many of you face in contemporary society. Luke Marzec explores themes of rising economic inequality, digital alienation, and the fading of community, creativity, and stillness—elements often overshadowed by capitalism. The track is slow-burning and soulful, rooted in protest and poetic clarity, providing you with a sense of unity similar to the messages found in Bob Marley’s work.
What makes this song special is how Marzec fuses warm analog textures, soulful vocals, and experimental production, creating a sound that feels both personal and universal. You will likely connect with his message that the best things in life—time and space—are becoming luxuries rather than basic rights. Marzec points out how real power seems distant, especially when you consider the ever-widening gaps between landlords, monarchs, tech giants, and everyday people like you.
He began writing “Space To Be Free” years ago, back when Theresa May was still in office, already sensing the distance between ordinary people and those in control. Now, with the widening wealth gaps and increased demands on your time, the song becomes even more relevant. Marzec advocates for reclaiming the space for breathing, creating, reflecting, and connecting—essential life activities often overlooked in today’s fast-paced world.
As you listen to Marzec’s music, it becomes clear that he invites you to pause and consider what really matters amidst the chaos. Whether you live in a bustling city or a quiet countryside, his music offers a soulful haven that celebrates the quiet joys often eroded by modern life’s pressures. With “Space To Be Free” and his full album Something Good Out of Nothing, Luke Marzec invites you to explore these themes of hope, resistance, and connection through the heartfelt and thoughtful lens of his artistry.
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What is your creative process like?
My creative process is usually very fast. A lot of people talk these days about procrastination followed by hyperfocus; this also seems to overlap with ADHD kind of stuff. But anyway, I typically like to spend long periods of time not writing, followed by short, intense periods of writing. I like to hyperfocus and not let anything else distract me so I can really get stuff done. You need to make many many decisions when writing and composing; and I can’t coop myself up all year round. So I like to live. I like to do other jobs ( I have to do other jobs) and then typically, I’ll take a month or so off and write and produce a song or two a day. That said, one of my favourite ways to write is with Theo, as we did earlier this year. We worked together on the land; we’d spend 8 hours a day doing intensive farm style work. In the evenings, we’d sit, have a couple beers and then get the guitars out. Ultimately, I like the idea of filling yourself up before you let it all out. Last week I had the Lazy H band round at my Studio, which I’m a part of. When we write, it’s kind of similar. The daytimes are spent filling up on nature and good country vibes: a walk, a wild swim, to get some local produce and cook a lovely, healthy fresh meal; then crack open a couple beers and let it all out.
Oh and there’s this one other tenet: write drunk, edit sober. You don’t think when you write. You just do it. The next day, or whenever, you listen back to everything you did. Composing, songwriting and the whole creative process is all about decision making in the end. If you don’t make decisions then the idea remains just an idea. So, you need to have a different kind of focus to do the decision making which ultimately gets the work done.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Spotify currently pays artists 0.003 pence per play. One simple change would be to up the pay. How about 1 pence, or 1 cent per play. Even that doesn’t seem like a lot, to the listener, but you could actually sustain an economy for emerging artists. I recently met a man who was born in 1946; he let me listen to the test pressings of my album on his record player. He wasn’t a rich man. But he had a proper record collection, and would often spend his small pension allowance on records, and go hungry instead. I sometimes think that maybe most people don’t buy records anymore because we don’t have the money: but it’s not true.
People spend money on ubers, on deliveroo, on many various subscriptions… but will not buy their music. And ironically, it’s often the music that’ll give them the most joy in life. So it’s a top-down and bottom-up thing: the streaming services could choose to pay artists more.
And politicians could legislate this. But audiences and listeners can also choose to buy music more. A bit of both, and we would have a properly healthy music economy; and we’d likely get better music out of it.
What are your musical plans for the next 12 months or so?
My plans are simple. A regular, weekly gig/residency in two places in the UK, Bristol and Totnes, Devon. To get the band tight, to find our local audience, and just simplify my life. If I’m performing regularly with a good band, then I’m happy. That’s all I want now. We can try out new ideas and when we get to recording, all the music will already have been experimented on in a live setting.
If we were to peek over your shoulder, what does your studio look like? What gear do you typically use?
My studio is on the top floor of an old barn. The building actually used to be an abattoir and probably dates back 400 years. The studio is looking great now: lots of deep red carpets, tapestries/textiles on the walls and lots of acoustic panelling. My band leave their equipment there permanently – there is a Vintage 60s Ludwig drumkit, a Vintage Hoffner style bass and amp, my upright piano, my keyboard and my vox amp and a few other instruments scattered around (my saxes, basses and synths). We are so lucky to have this space at my family house, for now, and cherish it while we do. I foresee that in the next six months I will have to find a new studio, which is exciting and also a bit sad at the same time. It’s the first time in years where my studio had natural light – which is a must have for me. Even though I will be spending more time in Bristol, I want my studio to be in the countryside in Devon still, so I’m on the look-out for an old farm building or something similar to convert.
What kind of recording facilities do you have at home?
I’ve got a 16 channel audio interface that can just about have everything plugged in: a drum kit, bass, guitar, keys, synths and some instrument/vocal mics. It’s funny, most musicians rarely have any money, because when you do, you have to buy another bit of gear: another instrument you’ve been eyeing up, a new microphone… My studio computer is now eight years old and that’ll be a fair packet to replace! But within the next year I’d like to get a Tascam 488 tape machine and mixing desk like Mac DeMarco used in his early albums.
What is the most useless talent you have?
I’m really good at throwing a thing high up in the air and catching it after. I like it to spin many times when I do it. So I throw it up whilst walking, and you want it to land back in your hand; but you’ve continued your stride by a few more steps. So you need to really gauge the propulsion correctly.
The other talent, which ain’t useless at all, is that I’m really good at knowing the time. Four hours can go by without seeing a clock and I can usually guess the time within 10 minutes.
It’s quite rare that I am unaware of the passage of time. Those times that I am unaware are when I’m truly lost in the moment.
What historical figure would you love to see in 21st-century life?
Let’s get back John Lennon. But like, the John Lennon from 1980. As if 45 years had passed, and he joined back in with us today, still at the age of 40. I wonder what he’d make of this world. I wonder how much of our politics or culture would appal him, and how much of it would excite him. Change happens so gradually. I heard this idea that the dystopia never comes because you never notice it. Like you rarely notice yourself ageing because you see your reflection every day – there is never a major change. However, if you were to not see yourself for 10 years and then look in the mirror, the change would astound you. The same is with culture/society/the world. So it would be cool to take someone from the recent past for that reason.
What’s your favorite board game?
I love to play Solitaire (patience). I love to play it with cards – not on the computer. It becomes a bit of a meditation. I like to focus on the cards being laid neatly and orderly, on a nice wooden table. Being mindful whilst simply laying the cards really tunes you in. You either fail to succeed at the game because of either: poor luck of the draw; or you are not aware of the cards and opportunities on the board. Slow down and you’ll see more. Next you reveal only one in every three cards (rather than every card). This really makes it a game of Patience. In fact, the game is not one game, but a series of games; because it is quite rather that you actually win, it is in the repetition of the rounds that the meditation comes. This task is fully pointless. You do not even stop when you win. Then ‘end’ is found in the process. The more we focus on pointless tasks; the more calm we will become. It gives your mind space to breathe. A watched pot never boils; and the same is with our thoughts. If you look away, then you’ll see it. So it’s really good to put your time into focussing in on pointless tasks rather than wasting our time on phone related things, where our focus is divided.
If you were talking to a younger version of you, what advice would you give yourself?
Take every opportunity. They when you’re young.
Also – it’s likely that anyone you meet or connect with will return to your life, or your network.
You don’t realise this as a young person: you’re always out and you’re always meeting so many people. You must be kind to all people you meet. That’s obvious. But sometimes, I have regretted leaving some bridges burnt. Never burn a bridge. Always right a wrong. Even for purely selfish reasons: you might meet someone, or get a job somewhere: and if you left a bridge burnt or a wrong wronged, then that Karma will come back to kick you.
If you had to describe yourself as a flavor, what would it be?
Salty.
