Behind The Music: One on One With Electronic DJ & Producer Lars
Having made a name for himself in New York’s underground electronic music scene and supporting acts such as Armin van Buren, Eric Prydz, Benny Benassi, MK and countless others, Lars has been steadily gathering acclaim as a producer in recent years.
You’ve shared stages with legends like Armin van Buuren and Eric Prydz. What is the most valuable lesson you learned from watching them work?
Honestly, aside from his technical skills, watching Armin smile on stage because he truly loves being there is what really left a mark on me. He’s achieved everything possible in the electronic music industry, and he still grins just as big as when he first started.
It taught me that longevity comes from passion—that’s when you know you are doing something you truly love.
How would you say navigating New York’s underground electronic scene shaped your identity as a producer?
New York crowds never hide their emotions, so you know immediately when you have the dancefloor hooked. Navigating the NY underground scene also taught me the reality of the ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality. It gave me invaluable experience networking and collaborating with all types of industry professionals, which definitely sharpened my drive as a music producer.
Who were the artists or tracks that first made you want to dive into electronic music production?
It started with Daft Punk and Swedish House Mafia. Seeing how they brought electronic music to the masses while keeping the energy so infectious is exactly what made me want to get into music production.
How do you balance staying true to your underground roots while growing your sound for larger audiences?
For me, it’s about trusting my ears and creating art that genuinely resonates with me. I don’t think you can reverse-engineer what will make a crowd happy, but I do know that when I enjoy making the music, that energy translates. Staying authentic in the studio is how you bridge the gap between an underground club and a festival mainstage.
“No Stranger” is described as having a “sonic duality.” How do you strike the balance between a gritty club track and a polished dance-pop record?
It really comes down to the contrast in the track arrangement. When you listen to ‘No Stranger,’ you’ll immediately feel the dark, atmospheric energy of the tech-house production, but then the vocal hook comes in to brighten the track and give it that broader pop appeal.
The deep, driving bassline is a massive focal point of this track. Walk us through how you built and sculpted that specific sound.
One technique that completely elevated my bassline production was focusing on the transient attack. I sculpted a specific plucky layer on top of the sub-bass, which helps accentuate the notes and gives the track that driving punch—especially on systems where the lowest frequencies are harder to hear.
The vocal hook really makes the track come alive. Did you have the vocal melody in mind first, or did the tech-house production come together before the vocals?
The instrumental production actually came first. I built out the groove, and then the vocal arrangement really brought the whole track to life and gave it its identity.
When people hear “No Stranger” on the dancefloor for the first time on June 17, what kind of energy or emotion do you hope they take away from it?
I think the lyrics evoke an emotional duality that a lot of us have experienced—that feeling of being drawn to someone you know might be bad for you, but you just can’t escape. I want people to feel that deep narrative connection while completely losing themselves in the club track energy.
You’re playing the Northcoast Festival this September. How are you approaching your festival set differently than a late-night underground club gig?
For the North Coast Music Festival set, I’m leaning heavily into curation and editing. I’ve been working on a lot of custom live mashups, overlaying vocals from my own tracks across recognizable, high-energy instrumentals to fit that massive open-air festival vibe.
Are there any acts on the Northcoast lineup—like Fisher or ILLENIUM—that you’re personally excited to catch or connect with?
It would be amazing to connect with Fisher and Chris Lorenzo. They are easily two of the artists at the absolute top of the house music scene right now. I massively admire their production, but honestly, I admire them even more for how grounded and authentic they seem as regular people.
If you could describe the vibe of your upcoming festival performance in just three words, what would they be?
COME AND DANCE
Now that “No Stranger” is out in the world, what is the next big milestone or project you’re tackling in the studio?
I’m in a really creative phase right now and exploring a lot of different sounds. I’m currently wrapping up some groovier house tunes for the summer, and I’ve got a batch of heavy-hitting unreleased IDs that I’m finalizing just in time for Klub Season.