Some of the greatest works of art have been inspired by sleep, or a lack there of. Petar Lukić, or known more simply as ‘Luke Itch’, took a drink from that fountain of inspiration and released his debut EP, Sleep Studies. A powerful and contemplative piano piece that really captures that dream-like state we all know but could never place a finger on.
The song writing here is simply beautiful. Minimalist piano pieces that range from melancholic and lonely to rather mysterious and ethereal, especially when the synths and ambient soundscapes enhance the piano pieces themselves. I’ve found my imagination wandering while listening to this release. Finding my self wandering through rainy city streets at night. And that’s only with the second track. Each track is almost like its own dream being interpreted through the music its self. The sort of imagery one gets through this music, I believe is up the the listener, but to me, these types of releases are an exercise in imagination and embracing the abstract nature of the dreams themselves.
Each track is made so that they flow seamlessly from one another, creating one singular piece that should for sure be listened to in one sitting. While, certain songs can for sure stand on their own as singles, it really does them a disservice and should for sure be listened to as one whole piece. The transition from the mysterious and rather anxiety inducing track, Dream Transfer, into the following more abstract and faster paced track, The Outcome of the Day, is done so well, it reminds me of when dreams can transition from anxiety inducing to calming in a split second. Or what seems like a split second to the sleeping mind. There’s plenty of moments like that on this EP, and the added effects done to the piano on The Outcome of the Day really adds to this unnatural feeling of it.
I’m not going to lie, I’ve found my self at a loss for words with this release. I feel as though everything that needs to be said can be said through this EP. The powerful range of emotion and creative songwriting isn’t just something you stumble across or can just make or listen to on a whim. This really has so much passion behind it and its so obvious through the music its self, it’d do you and the artist a disservice by letting this be an after thought. As cliché as it sounds, this to me is what music should be, a true passion project that expresses emotions and thoughts in a creative manner, and this nailed it. I’d highly recommend this album to everyone. You can’t go wrong I promise.