Dustan Louque, the parent behind the group Louque, has lived in culturally volatile sectors of the United States for his entire life. Growing up in New Orleans, and later moving to Brooklyn, N.Y., Louque packed his suitcase with sounds and experiences from both the North and South along the way.
Louque later merged them on his latest disc "So Long" to form a style of music never heard before. Louque experiments with these minglings to mold a laid-back collaboration of tracks that should stray away from mainstream sound and fall right into indie lovers' hands.
Louque - pronounced 'Luke' - plays with Massive Attack-like trip-hop, New Orleans-infused Cajun and an eclectic blend of folk, reggae and electronic beats on his nine-track album to yield a specific sound he likes to call "faya."
He's right on - the songs on "So Long" are unlike anything being play on college radio or on bootleg Internet stations. Louque's tunes are smooth, warm and relaxing. His calm caliber of tracks don't blow your face off when you listen.
This mashing of genres could be accredited to the wide spectrum of music Louque listened to when he was younger - he was known to jam to Fats Domino, Ice T and Depeche Mode, to name a few of the varying artists.
But whether it was his musical influences or traveling experiences that laid the groundwork for "So Long," Louque hit the nail on the head with his diverse approach.
The opening song "Perique" slices soft trip-hop beats into tight, tapping drums and Louque's dusty, but emotion-filled, voice adds the top layer to a slow and appealing track.
The underlying beat on "Perique" gives the song an open invitation to be remixed with a techno flare - something Louque might have considered for the future, because it almost appears his songs were created open enough to be redone, either by himself or another artist.
But the musical elements on "So Long" are definitely Louque's own concoction. On "Whoa Now," Louque strings various instruments together to make the song almost feel slowed down, but then the drums, piano and bass loops kick in and the song takes us on a tour of a deep instrument labyrinth we haven't seen yet.
The underlying factor reason "So Long" is such a forceful blend of good music that Louque's soulful, heartbreaking tales sound and feel real. He uses his piano and growling voice as a double whammy to the slew of instruments he already applies to his one-of-a-kind sound and gives listeners a truly unique album.
