To Infinity Ink and beyond: Luca C and Ali Love – the story so far
Infinity Ink are Luca C and Ali Love, a duo who have been friends for over a decade. Having both come from musical backgrounds, working as session musicians, performing in bands and so forth individually – as well as writing songs together for a while, they started making electronic music a couple of years ago and have excelled. Their latest track, ‘Infinity’, is a ridiculously catchy and simple affair, perfect for the dancefloor and one of my favourite tracks so far this year. I recently spent an afternoon with them, discussing their careers both past and present…
So how did you two get together?
Ali: I first met Luca in Shoreditch about 12 years ago… and we were kind of friends, but we didn’t get together properly until I was splitting from a girlfriend when I was about 22. It was one of those things when you split up with a girl, then you get a new mate. It was one of those things that was needed, I was in a bad way, she totally did me over. So we started writing songs together, more folky songs really, like your classic songwriting.
What kind of stuff?
Ali: Just classic sixties and seventies rock n roll stuff, that’s what we were messing around with. I was still going out to clubs and stuff but I didn’t have the head for making dance music at the time. I was more into songwriting, I was a session player for bands and stuff at the time.
Where were you going out?
Ali: Around that time I got introduced to all the Secretsundaze lot. That was a really big thing, that’s been going ten years and I knew those guys from day one – that’s been a massive part of my London clubbing experience, it was always a family vibe with those guys. That’s hard to beat, there’s not that many of those kind of parties in London.
So how has your approach to songwriting with Luca evolved since your first got together?
Ali: Well, we approach it in the same way, I approach a dance track in the same way I approach writing a classic song, even a folk song or something. We were saying it earlier, it’s the same thing – a bunch of rock n roll musicians staying up all night with their guitars or a bunch of dudes staying up all night with their drum machines. It’s the same feeling of camaraderie. You get to that place, and once you’re in that place, that’s where the vibe is…
The funny thing is, you say that and, as a punter, I can totally identify with it because when I hear the music played in a club, I can feel that you were in ‘that place’, you know?
Ali: Music is something to master, you’d never say you were a master but it’s a skill you want to perfect. That’s ongoing and I think any true musical artist will continue to strive to perfect their art. So, you learn a few tricks along the way. It’s like the single we’ve got out at the moment (‘Infinity’), Luca and I both know it’s…
Luca: …tongue in cheek.
Ali: Yeah it’s tongue in cheek, it’s a bit silly really.
Luca: But it’s serious.
Ali: When we actually did it, it was a stream of consciousness, I just made it up on the spot and what you’re hearing is what I did at that moment. We had a review the other day criticising the lyrics, but it’s just fun and it’s more about the energy – some tracks are emotional, and some tracks are to please the intellect and some tracks that are just an energy for a moment. In a way tracks like that shouldn’t even be reviewed because they’re about a moment, they’re not really a coffee table thing. So it’s funny when people review them.
Yeah, that track really caught me. It’s been in my head for months… it’s infectious.
Luca: It’s a fun track.
Exactly I mean, if you compare it to ‘Games’, it’s a totally different thing.
Ali: That’s the thing about life, sometimes it doesn’t excatly add up. One minute you’re happy, the next you’re gutted.
When did you two get to a stage when you decided that you needed to give yourselves a title and start releasing music under that title?
Ali: I was being lazy, Luca hassled me to do it. The Infinity Ink name came from when I was in Moldova doing a solo gig and next to the venue, there was a big factory with ‘Infinity Inc’ on the side and I saw it and thought it was a wicked name for something… but we changed the C to a K.
How did ‘Games’ come about?
Ali: The ‘Game’s track happened when we were doing a tour, I had a track out with Dim Mak in America so we were touring around the States doing DJ gigs – and we started in Oregon, I had my Juno 106 with me, an old eighties piece of kit. I shouldn’t have taken it with me really. Anyway, we started it in some motel and progressively made the track as we were going from one state to another. So, when I listen to it, you can really hear the emotion in it.
And that was the start?
Ali: That was the start yeah. For me, it’s really nice to hide behind a different name. It’s like having a barrier between yourself and the world – as a solo guy you stand there and go, ‘This is me’, it’s a totally different feeling from when you’re a little outfit. With dancefloor music it’s really about the people, it’s about the dancefloor and the people. When you make electronic dancefloor music, it’s not so ego driven as other forms.
Yeah you’re just entertaining a club.
Ali: I’ve always found that whole ’stand there and pose’ thing a bit hard to deal with so I’ve always gravitated to clubs because it’s more about the music than the personality.
So, as the project is ongoing, have you been working on some new stuff?
Luca: We were working on stuff when we were in LA.
Ali: We haven’t really got any deadlines, so it’s basically when we’re in the zone we record stuff. Some tracks just come together really easy, like the ‘Forward Motion’ track I did with Jamie and Lee, that all came together in four hours. At the end of it, we looked at each other like, “What just happened?!”.
Beyond that, what else is going on?
Ali: I’m going to put out a solo record with Crosstown Rebels, it’s 50 per cent vocal and 50 per cent instrumentals, stuff I’ve been doing on my own, just electronic weirdness really. I’ve got to get that done before the summer’s over. Me and Brigante have some stuff going on, it needs a name though.
Luca: We’re going to be playing DC10 over the summer at Jamie’s Paradise night. I’ll be DJing, but we’re also playing as Infinity Ink.
Have you formulated a set live show or do you just take it as it comes, like the show you did at Get Lost in Miami?
Luca: Yeah it’s a bit like that, a cross between a DJ set and a live PA.
Ali: With a bit of magic thrown in.
Luca: The set is mostly all our own productions.
Ali: We do take requests though, and we have a raffle at the end of the night.
Infinity is available now HERE and you can find out more about Luca and Ali via their Facebook fan page HERE.
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