Music
The Mix 093: Galcher Lustwerk
The US house maestro dishes out a trademark laidback house blend for The Mix, and speaks to Megan Townsend about his love of Sting, feeling tapped out of the NYC scene, and wanting to give Cleveland its flowers
For over a decade, Galcher Lustwerk has been the go-to for anyone in the market for real, decadent house music. Whether its found in his luxurious club sets, over the airwaves throughout his eclectic The Lot Radio shows, or his luscious productions which span toe-tapping 4x4 to effortlessly silky deep house. It's of little surprise then, that discerning house heads are waiting in the wings for the release of his first EP in two years, 'Vestibule', which is set to land on LA imprint Stratasonic on Friday (February 13).
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Lustwerk - AKA Chris Sherron - says his taste was "crucially" informed by quiet storm and local college radio (WRUW 91.1), alongside his parents' record collection growing up. One stood out in particular: "Sting 'Nothing Like The Sun'... It was a crossover hit." Having started off playing saxophone as a teenager, he tried his hand at production, gravitating to labels such as Warp, Def Jux, and Thrill Jockey, before learning to DJ while studying at the Rhode Island School of Design.
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In 2013, Sherron released his era-defining '100% GALCHER' mix, an hour of forward-feeling original productions that helped catapult the burgeoning producer to becoming one of the most in-demand artists in underground house music. While often seen as synonymous with New York, the city in which he lived while creating the mix, Sherron has maintained that his Midwest upbringing is at the heart of his sound, with nods to lo-fi hip-house, R&B, Balearic, hip hop and more heard throughout releases on Ghostly, Tsuba Records, White Material and his own imprint Lustwerk Music.
Ahead of the release of 'Vestibule', his first since 2024's 'LUSTWERK III', Galcher Lustwerk has graced us with a typically laidback mix, featuring unreleased productions alongside tracks from Deep Monks, Orlando Voorn, and Quavus. In the accompanying interview, the deep house maestro talks through his new "global" record, and why Cleveland is one of the US' most underrated musical cities. Listen and read below.
You're just about to release your first EP in two years, 'Vestibule'. Could you tell us a bit about the process of creating the new record?
The EP was made on 90% hardware tracked through Ableton. Mainly digital synths from the late '90s and early '00s. They are my favourite tracks made this way so far, and I wanted to give them some proper love. They were mixed by Martin Buttrich and mastered by Tim Xavier in Berlin.
Did you pull inspiration from the Midwest into the record? If so, how?
Not particularly, but I do owe a lot of my taste to those pioneers. Producers like Spencer Kincey, James Stinson, Larry Heard, Hanna. But 'Vestibule' is a proper global record.
As someone who was born in Cleveland but has become synonymous with New York's house scene over the last decade, how do you balance your nods to those two places? Do you feel both inspire what you create?
New York has such a solid reputation, I don’t feel the need to represent it as much. Cleveland is one of the most underrated cities in the country. The butt of many jokes, but it's only two hours from Detroit and has a musical prestige of its own. I owe a lot of my creativity to institutions like the Cleveland Museum of Art, Music School Settlement, and Cleveland Institute of Art, which were minutes away from my house growing up.
You rose to prominence in the mid-10s. How do you feel things have changed in US house music since then?
The YouTube algorithm was very favourable to anonymous producers, and having it linked with Discogs fuelled a micro-economy of labels, DJs, parties, and review sites. I didn’t have any social media besides SoundCloud until 2018, and was still able to tour regularly and sell vinyl. Flights, AirBnBs, and Ubers were super cheap. A lot has shifted, and now artists need to make low-IQ content or buy ads to stand out. As a result, younger consumers are less music-savvy, and less proactive about discovery.
New York has changed dramatically in the last decade, with new venues opening, some closing, and a new set of producers and DJs from the city becoming international stars; how do you feel the city's underground scene has adapted to these changes? What are the biggest issues the scene in NY is facing right now, in your opinion?
It’s hard to get a macro view of things right now. Instagram has siloed everyone’s taste, and things are sorted by aesthetic niches. Every scene has its own pros and cons, I guess, but I feel properly tapped out of any scene right now. I still go out to support my day-ones if they’re playing a set.
How has it been to return to Stratasonic for 'Vestibule' ? You just played at a label party in Mexico City, right?
Yes, it went fantastically. It’s nice to work with a team like Stratasonic, as there are so many details that go into making and marketing a music product that I can’t do myself. The label is passionate about good music, and you can really tell.
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What's coming up next/on the horizon for you?
Remixes. More live sets. More records. Continuing my residency at The Lot Radio this year. I’m hoping to revisit Europe and Asia, as well.
Can you tell us about your mix?
It’s for Mixmag, so I just wanted to make sure it was a good MIX, basically. Only the best of mixes for MIXmag! A mixy mix!
Galcher Lustwerk's 'Vestibule' EP is out on February 13, pre-order it here.
Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on X
Tracklist:
Lowtec - RQ (Palham Edition)
Snad - The Pursuit (Frank & Tony’s Housebeat Remix)
Stockholm Cyclo - Someday (ft Midaircondo)
Deep Monks - Unplugged
Orlando Voorn - Vibration (Black Eyes Hydro-Trip Mix)
Quavius - Just Natural
I:Cube - Deep End 1999
Galcher Lustwerk - ????
Galcher Lustwerk - Wet Bulb
Galcher Lustwerk - ????
Adam - Lonely Tear Drop
Stabbed - Theme From Chicago (Monty Luke Voodoo edit)
Gunnter - G Paradise!
Blaze - Lovely Reprise
