Lucian Lacewing is a Bristol-based composer of otherworldly soundscapes and experimental psychedelia. He blends dreamy synths with muted trumpets, ouds, handpans, sitars and cellos; plus dubby snippets of the voices of eight singers of his acquaintance – ambient meets modern day psychedelia meets nocturnal drone.
Lucian Lacewing’s debut single, “Land Of Enchantment,” was released on April 20th, 2026 and has been played on Dream Time with Zakia, on BBC Radio 6 Music, and elsewhere. He released his second single, “Night Of Whispers,” on May 20th, 2026 and his third, “The Moon, The Dark, The Perfumed Garden” on July 31st. All of these singles are taken from his forthcoming debut album, When We Were Hydrogen.
With “Freedom From Forever” out now, we took some time to hear from Lucian Lacewing. Read below to learn more about Lucian Lacewing, the story behind “Freedom From Forever,” and what’s to come.
Hi Lucian Lacewing! Let’s start with how did you choose your stage name?
Hello and thank you. Lucian means light. And how light looks filtered through the translucent wings and bodies of lacewing insects best describes the sound I seek. Also, Lucian sounds rather grand and Lacewing is suggestive of delicacy. I like that my name is a mingling of these qualities. Finally, you can never have too much alliteration in the world.
What city are you from, and where are you based now?
I grew up in a sleepy Cotswold village and have lived more than half my life in Bristol. Bristol is great. Perfectly sized. Big enough to have a lot going on, culturally, and small enough to be friendly.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
In secondary school, my best friend Jody and myself were listening to The Cure and The Psychedelic Furs a lot. If you listen to Seventeen Seconds by the former a lot of the basslines and keyboard parts (the first two instruments I gravitated towards) are really simple. But no less top notch for it. And The Furs had this amazing song called “India” (first track on their first album) that we loved. And the bassline only has three notes. And the guitar part not many more. So Jody and I took a look at each other and thought…hmm…we could probably do that.
Jody and I are still close and two of the tracks on my forthcoming debut album are co-writes with him.
How has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound?
I grew up in the New Wave era. Which instilled in me the idea that passion and imagination are more important than technical ability. Also, that nostalgia is overrated. Also, I was a choirboy and a bell ringer as a child, which probably explains a lot.
How would you describe your sound?
Modern day psychedelia meets cinematic ambient.
I blend dreamy synths with instruments from around the world, heavily treated, with vocals, also heavily treated. Sometimes I have all three following the same melody so hopefully they merge and listeners are, hopefully unsure of quite what they are hearing.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
Live music mostly. I just went to see ESG’s final ever London show. That was mind blowing, electrifying, top notch. If you are unfamiliar with them then check out their track Moody. At one point, they were the most sampled group in Hip Hop. Maybe they still are.
I also like walking in woods, especially at night. And I read a lot. Currently, Resident Alien, Quentin Crisp’s memoir about moving to Manhattan in his seventies. It is full of charm and wit.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
Brian Eno is my musical God. I love the idea he had, in his early days, that he was a “non musician,” but was going to find a way to make music any. From him, I get the idea that you can create music through experimentation and play, rather through crafting a song. Both can be great, but I prefer the former.
I also love everything from Krautrock to psychedelic jazz to neo classical to glorious pop.
What would be your dream musical collaboration?
Remixing The Last Dinner Party. I love their songs, there is so much flamboyance and insight going on. So much heart and exuberance, so many harmonies and little details. That you could zero in on and expand and play with and make something of.
What historical figure do you most admire?
The Native American who killed General Custer. See Johnny Cash’s track, “Custer,” from his album Bitter Tears for details.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?
Probably when “Land Of Enchantment,” my first single, was added to some Spotify playlists, with lots of listeners. DistroKid Spotlight, to name one.
What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?
Always seek uniqueness.
Now onto your release, “Freedom From Forever.” What inspired this song?
Like most of what I do it was the result of an experiment. I obtained samples of a harp being plucked, just single notes. I picked six or seven notes at random (using dice) and tried to see if I could make a melody out of them. Which I fortified with with synths and samples of an oud. I procured some samples of a Kenyan singer. I played around snippets of her vocal lines and that completed the piece. I wish I could name and credit her but unfortunately all her samples have been removed from the royalty free sample website I use.
What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for “Freedom From Forever?”
For the main image, I have to thank my brother, Jason Baker. Who does live visuals, music videos and other bits and pieces for the band, Scaler. I just filtered it to make it bluer and added the sci fi lettering. Part of the video I made for the track takes place in space. So, I thought Sci-Fi lettering and vegetation that looks like it was grown on a distant planet seemed apt.
What was the creative process like when making “Freedom From Forever?”
Blissful and absorbing.
How long did it take to complete “Freedom From Forever?”
It is hard to say because I flit from track to track so much and nobody has ever accused me of being overly time conscious. More than twenty hours and fewer than two hundred.
What do you hope fans take away from “Freedom From Forever” and your music in general?
I am to soothe. Also to avoid fitting too neatly into particular genre. So hopefully listeners will not be too sure of what they are hearing.
What’s next? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
I don’t perform live. I will continue releasing tracks from my debut album. There are nine more beyond the four that I have already released. The first half of my album is meditative and the second half much poppier and more upbeat. I am always seeking music publishing opportunities. I have begun working on my second album. Which will include a remix of a song by my friend, the folky singer-songwriter Annette Buckley, who also appears on my first album. Her album, The Ever Changing Colours Of The Sea, is beautiful.
Where can we follow you on social media?
https://linktr.ee/Lucian_Lacewing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfdoo95i0Gg
Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!
