


Luttrell’s hit Anjunadeep single “Around You” stemmed from a personal place, bringing the melodic techno maestro together with his fiancé Sara James in a one-of-a-kind collaboration that holds great significance to the musical couple.




Simple, heartfelt lyrics, written by Luttrell and Sara James, punctuate the emotional melody. He recalls that the song came together during a late-night studio session on a typically rainy Seattle night. “Sara and I wrote and sang the lyrics, ‘feel it all around you, feel the love around you; you belong, you belong here.’ It was the first time we had ever worked on anything musically, which was really exciting. When I heard her singing the lyrics, it was clear her angelic, 2000s-trance vocal style would meld with the track beautifully. It’s a song about belonging, love, and about feeling good.”






Speaking about the making of “Around You,” Sara James opened up on the intensity of writing music for the first time. Having never created or released music before, James was equal parts enthusiastic and intimidated. Luttrell was a stabilizing force and helped her identify her artistic value.




“I had a lot of anxiety and at least one panic attack leading up to the release of this song. The imposter syndrome was real. I don’t think of myself as an artist. I’m not a singer. I want to be more aware of how I portray myself online, often sharing only the ‘good times’ and highlights of my life.”




The single’s release in September 2022 coincided with National Suicide Prevention Month and served as a poignant reminder of how fragile her mental health had previously been. Her and Luttrell’s move from San Francisco to Seattle triggered a deep depression that she struggled to find her way beyond. Past traumas haunted her, and James felt hopeless. However, the power of music and her love for Luttrell helped her reconnect with herself.




“Eric showed me the new music he was working on and then sang the words, ‘feel it all around you, feel the love around you; you belong, you belong here’. I cried and he asked me to sing it. I wasn’t feeling the lyrics but I sang them anyway,” she recalls. “I guess I sang the words enough times until I tricked my brain into believing they were true, because I started to feel better. Music heals. If someone tells you they aren’t okay, please just listen and believe them. I truly believe in life all you need to get through is just one good friend. Thank you Eric for your music and always helping me pull myself up when I feel like I can’t do it alone. I hope this track makes someone feel less alone, like it did for me.”



Luttrell and Wife Sara James Pen a Poignant Mental Health Message 

When creating his album Music For My Memories, enigmatic producer Eric Luttrell found that inspiration could come from the simplicity of appreciating your surroundings. Raised in Redwood City, California, Luttrell chose to make the short leap up the peninsula to San Francisco in 2008 to better suit his commute to Pyramind music production school in the SoMa district of the city by the bay. Luttrell adopted San Francisco as his home, absorbing the beauty the thriving beacon of culture offered him. He felt this reverence for the city even more deeply during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.




While initially writing Music For My Memories in 2020, Luttrell balanced the emotion of the music with a daily walk to take in his surroundings.




“Going out to Alamo Square Park and listening to what I had been working on that day was a routine of mine. It was super peaceful and calming. The fog would be rolling in over the hills and create these really epic sunsets. Orange, pink, and all hazy. It definitely looked like something out of a dream.”






Penning music that held warm familiarity balanced with moody textures came easily to Luttrell as he infused his songwriting with the experiences that had filled his pre-pandemic routine.




Missing live music and the swath of house and techno shows San Francisco has to offer, Luttrell wrote Music For My Memories as an ode to those fleeting nights that brought him so much joy. His walks around SF provided solace for the artist, who would stroll through oak groves on the winding trails of Buena Vista Park or watch the sunset in Alamo Square. This practice, he explains, was how he could “quality control my work,” taking it out into the world for a test drive. With the final chapter of Music For My Memories Part III releasing in summer 2021, Luttrell can always remember the process of creating his unofficial love letter to San Francisco.



Luttrell's 'Music For My Memories' is an Ode to His Hometown San Francisco

Cited as one of Anjunadeep’s leading artists, Luttrell’s name is synonymous with the lush, emotional output of the highly-respected label. His previous projects with Anjuna include over a dozen releases with the label, founded by beloved dance trio Above & Beyond. Luttrell’s path to releasing with Anjunadeep was not linear. Interestingly, an unlikely ally aided the connection.






Luttrell initially got his foot in the door with the legacy label through the help of another luminary producer, Mat Zo. In 2017 Zo released Glare, the final album from his previous band, The M Machine, on his Mad Zoo imprint. “We were at his house in LA doing the final edits, little changes on the album, just hanging out and showing each other things we were working on the side. I showed him, ‘Need You,’ ‘Stormwatcher,’ and a couple of other songs.” Zo reacted enthusiastically, suggesting that Luttrell pass along his melodic, indie-leaning house tracks to Above & Beyond. “He told me I should send them to Anjunadeep because they’d probably be into it. He sent it to them and they were onboard for an EP.”




At the time, Luttrell had no idea what an impact Anjunadeep would have on his career trajectory. Having not yet left The M Machine project, the producer slowly dipped his toe into the well of community and love Anjunadeep has to offer.




“Honestly, I didn’t know what I was getting into. I didn’t think that was going to be the next chapter of my life and career.”




He first saw the opportunity as a chance to put out more of his personal music, productions which stemmed from a life-changing set at Burning Man two years prior in 2015. However, Luttrell built a rapport with Anjunadeep that has led to a fruitful partnership.




“The further I got working with them, putting music out with them, getting invited to do shows, opening tours—it was great. I loved playing for the Anjunadeep crowd, I was super happy and it just kind of kept going.”




He’s since become one of Anjuna’s most celebrated artists with three albums, countless singles, and EPs, and is a staple of their Group Therapy events worldwide.



How Mat Zo Helped Luttrell Become an Anjunabeats Staple

It’s not often that a producer earns the authentic support of Skrillex and Above & Beyond, but in his decade-long career, Luttrell has done exactly that. His journey as an artist has taken him to many places and led him to flourishing relationships with record labels OWSLA and Anjunadeep. Exploring his background, it’s easy to see why Luttrell’s lush, comforting deep house sound receives such high praise.






Fans might know him for his initial success with The M Machine, a trio that quickly rose to fame thanks to buzz from peers and fans like Porter Robinson and Mat Zo. The indie dance trio signed with OWSLA, putting out their Metropolis EPs, a remix EP, and singles via Skrillex’s label. The M Machine graced some of the biggest stages in the world during their run, playing at major festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival, and Tomorrowland.




However, the members of The M Machine felt that it was time to lay the project to rest in 2018, officially putting a pause on the group. After the split, Luttrell found more space to express his creativity and develop his individual sound.









Lutrell had already explored a different sonic roadmap for several years before the split. Following a solo set at Burning Man 2015, Luttrell began making more music that fit his interests in melodic house and techno, with a twinge of indie rock and pop folded in for good measure. The freedom of exploration that The M Machine’s end provided Luttrell allowed him to traverse even more uncharted musical territory and craft a singular sound.




After a chance conversion with Mat Zo, Luttrell connected with Anjunadeep in 2017, laying the foundations for a long-term professional relationship that has culminated in many releases with the label. Luttrell’s debut album, Into Clouds, was released through the Above & Beyond-helmed label in 2019. More recently, the artist was overseas supporting Anjunadeep at showcases in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and London, England.




However, Luttrell hasn’t forgotten his roots and still taps into what he learned as a part of The M Machine.









“The way The M Machine worked was one of us would write the beginning of a song. So there are songs where you can tell it’s my production that started it, the kind of music that’s very Luttrell-y, like ‘A King Alone.’ Melodically and production-wise very much in the same vein of what I do now.” Luttrell told EDM.com in 2019. “So the orchestral stuff we did as The M Machine, I bring that into Luttrell sometimes. I’m just a sucker for strings and chords that make you feel good.”



Luttrell

Staley Sharples

Staley Sharples

Staley Sharples

Staley Sharples