The New Citizen Kane: "Music is how I process my feelings and experiences"
- Editorial Staff
- Dec 8
- 4 min read
Kane Luke, known as The New Citizen Kane, is a singer-songwriter, producer, and visual artist creating cinematic, emotionally resonant indie-dance music. With a theatre background in Dublin and studies in sound engineering, his international experience across New York, Milan, and London shapes his unique style blending vulnerability, mythology, and melody. After early success in 2007 with the club hit "Don’t Feel No Shame" and his 2014 debut album, he returned in 2024 with the "Endless Summer Serenade" EP, establishing his reputation with introspective and innovative work. His sophomore album "The Tales of Morpheus" combines sophisticated electronic production with poetic lyrics inspired by the ’80s, creating a distinctive sound compared to George Michael and Depeche Mode. Now based in London, he continues to explore themes of healing, identity, and transformation through a dreamlike lens as both The New Citizen Kane and producer Discokane.
Your new album "PSYCHEDELIKA Pt.1" feels like a very immersive sonic journey. What were the main inspirations behind this project, and how does it differ from your previous work like The Tales of Morpheus?
You know, at its core the album is about being human, it’s about honesty, it’s about duality, it’s about breaking down taboos & initiating conversations with love & warmth & respect & empathy, regardless of the topic or personal viewpoint. I’m 43, and as I’ve grown I’ve noticed a certain elasticity in my opinions & thought process, you notice that life is rarely black & white, that it is full of wonderful shades of grey and contradictions abound, both in life and in our thoughts. As the concept for the album evolved into this honest reflection on life, experiences both inward & outward, I realised I needed to capture those contradictions, that duality, in order for it to be an honest portrayal of the human experience.
The Tales Of Morpheus was me taking stock of my life up to that point, it was me healing & confronting a lot of things. It was almost more of a compilation album as it was made up of songs I had written throughout my 20 years as a songwriter up to that point, reflecting different periods of my life. On Psychedelika I am looking outward as much as I look inward, and it is all a reflection of my current POV.
Your music blends cinematic storytelling, emotion, and myth, influenced by your theatre background and international experiences. How have these elements shaped the production and songwriting on "PSYCHEDELIKA Pt.1"?
Our senses are all connected, so it stands to reason that if you can engage multiple senses at the same time, the payoff is greater, the emotional connection is deeper. I wanted to create something multilayered, so it can be enjoyed on the surface level, but for listeners who want to go deeper, the rewards are there. Writing is always a personal experience for me, every since I was a teenager it was how I processed my feelings and experiences, and my writing style has a naturally visual or descriptive flair, so it directly influenced the visual style of the project, and I worked on the music and visual elements in parallel, so the project evolved very organically and i would say each element influenced the other in some way.
You often explore themes like identity, healing, and transformation through your music. How do these themes come through in your latest album, and what message do you hope listeners take away from it?
I think the lyrics speak for themselves, this album is me at my most open & vulnerable, and it was liberating!! I hope whoever stumbles across my album, willingly or by surprise, can step away and think of how similar we all are as humans. People love to focus on how different we all are, and there is so much divisive rhetoric everywhere right now, I want to focus on the ways we are similar… go back to finding that middle ground. While our stories may be different, our emotional experiences are so similar, regardless of race, nationality, gender, sexuality. We need to lead with that empathy, and kindness. Get used to having uncomfortable conversations, strip away the taboos. Part 2 continues in this vein while tackling new topics.
After stepping away from the music scene and then returning with a fresh vision, how has your approach to music and production evolved over the years?
It has evolved enormously, both musically & lyrically, and is in constant evolution. One of the biggest factors is the confidence that comes with having lived, being in my 40s; I’m no longer concerned with seeking approval or trying to impress or worried about if people will think what I’m doing is cool or not. I’m making music I love, exploring genres & influences that the mainstream frowns upon as being too risky and the indie scenes scoffs at for being too commercial, but I’m doing what feels right to me! And talking with a stark honesty that can be both raw, humorous, nurturing & chaotic, because that’s how life is.
You perform both as The New Citizen Kane and work behind the scenes as Discokane. How do you balance these two sides of your career, and what drives you to explore these different artistic dimensions?
As TNCK I am committed to certain artistic level from myself, the project is essentially my artistic pinnacle and I’m not going to engage in a project or collaboration that does align with my artists or moral philosophy. Discokane is my dance/house persona, it goes beyond self-made art, it’s the ‘diffusion line’ to speak in fashion terms. My DJ/Remix persona and a persona that can collaborate simply on a project because it’s fun & I like it, and that doesn’t need to align to a particular philosophy.
Follow The New Citizen Kane
