Earlier in the decade, Melbourne’s Luke Chable was one of the finest artists producing progressive house and breaks out of this country, alongside fellow luminaries like Nubreed and Phil K. Massive anthems like Ride were getting thrashed all over the world by heavyweights like Sasha, Sander Kleinenberg and Dave Seaman, and the quality tunes just kept on coming right up til the release of the Lostep album he completed with Phil K. Then things went quiet for a while…

“I had pretty much been trying to find myself again musically, as I really was really disgruntled with a few things,” Chable told ITM. “What was going on with the scene, and how much progressive I had written. It got to the point where I couldn’t stand writing a Chable record anymore, it grated against me. I think I just needed a good break and breathe of fresh air.”

However, in late 2008 he’s gearing up to relaunch the ‘Luke Chable’ brand to the world. Specifically, he’s got to working again this year with fellow progressive house veteran Ivan Gough as part of TV Rock, and he claims we’ve got some exciting stuff to look forward to in the coming months. “I’m really enjoying working with Ivan again, I forgot how well we mesh in the studio – it just works! We have a lot of things planned and next year is looking very exciting!” ITM chats with Luke Chable ahead of his gig at Explicit’s Christmas Party at Chinese Laundry.

So it has been a little while since we have heard anything from Luke Chable. What has been happening for the last year or so?

Not much last year, but this year I started working with Ivan Gough again along with Grant. We have been writing heaps of tunes, loads of remixes and a couple of originals. I’m really enjoying working with Ivan again, I forgot how well we mesh in the studio – it just works! We have a lot of things planned and next year is looking very exciting!

I had pretty much been trying to find myself again musically, as I really was really disgruntled with a few things – what was going on with the scene, and how much progressive I had written. It got to the point where I couldn’t stand writing a Chable record anymore, it grated against me. I think I just needed a good break and breathe of fresh air. I still wrote tracks at home, but nothing significant… More just trying different things. For most of that time I had taken up a job at my girlfriend’s family business helping out with a number of things, a jack of all trades you could say.

There was an early flurry of activity on your Trojan label but things have since been a little quiet. Are you still running the label?

No I’m not. Basically it came down to this: it was way too much of a headache trying to find music for it. Sure I got sent stuff, but I set the standard bar very high, and nothing I found floated my boat. The stuff that was mad was already taken 100 per cent of the time!

Obviously the Melbourne scene has been a bit of a hotbed for quality progressive producers and has played its role in shaping your sound. Are you still a Melbourne boy and do you feel the scene in good shape?

I’m Melbourne through and through. However, I wouldn’t know how the scene is here because I barely go out. I did have a welcome surprise at one gig though, I played at Audiophile at Korova Milk Bar, and the place was rammed with young kids, all rocking it to quality tech house. I found that really refreshing and I loved every minute of it.

The Lostep project was significant in drawing praise from all corners of the globe. Your collaborations with people like Nubreed and Phil K have drawn some great results, and more recently with TV Rock. Are you happy with the results? Does this mean you are looking to take your sound to a wider audience?

I am definitely happy with the results. Im sick of the chin scratching, and im ready to further my career by taking my sound and opening it up to the much bigger house/tech house audience. Funnily enough there’s not actually much difference between what i used to do, and the stuff im writing with Ivan & Grant now, just a couple of sounds, and the way its presented.

People who have followed your career will highlight how the sounds you have championed have changed over time, from the lush progressive sounds to some downright nasty tech produced with your Lostep collaboration with Phil K. Where is your head at musically at the moment?

My head is in a mesh of tech house and trance infused elements. Think Michael Woods’ Cafe Del Mar mix and you kind of get the picture. Also head to www.lukechable.com and you can hear what we have been doing!

Your music has always been characterised by exceptional production values. There seems to be more poorly produced music making its way into download charts around the world. Do you think we will get to a stage where people can no longer tell the difference?

No there won’t be a stage unfortunately. Speaking for myself, I know my attention to detail and engineering has changed considerably over the last few years, and Ivan and I are continually trying to make our records sound bigger and better over all. We are always looking for new ways to make the records slam but at the same time improve the sonics.

With some DJ dates on the horizon, what can we expect to hear from your record box?

Lots of heavily grooved tech house, and especially a few new things, can’t wait to play them!

Catch the reborn Luke Chable this Friday 12th December when Explicit celebrates it Xmas Party at Chinese Laundry.