Lukas Lyrestam's Kitchen Mix

A couple of weeks back we had a fun interview with Swedish DJ and producer Lukas Lyrestam on childhood food memories, albums to cook to, and his latest project Sthlm 4ever featuring Lukas Lyrestam, Gideon Forceman and Ludvig Franzen, which is out now on Clouded House Records.

We hope you enjoy it along with his exclusive mix!

Q: What foods did you grow up eating in Sweden and what childhood memories do those foods evoke?

A: Fish, Fish and more Fish! in all shapes and sizes, pickled, smoked or squashed into a spam-like ball. Growing up in Stockholm next to the sea there’s always an abundance of all kinds of seafood. A summertime classic for me are the dishes Skagen Röra (a combination of mayonnaise, fresh prawn and herbs), Strömmings Macka (a local swedish fish which we fish as kids, served on rye bread with gherkins and butter) and of course fresh salmon served with cooked potatoes and lemon. The smell of freshly chopped dill always brings me back to the days of being a messy, wild blond-haired kid…

Q: What did you have for dinner last night? Did you listen to music while you cooked/ate/dined, any songs in particular come to mind?

A: Last night I cooked a gnocchi style-dish combining red onion, garlic, shiitake mushrooms and green pesto as sauce – not particularly Swedish but delicious none the less. I almost always listen to music when cooking and generally prefer the album format to dance singles. A few great albums to cook with are Baduism by Erykah Badu, Psychic by Darkside and Process by Sampha. All-time classic compilations by the likes of William Onyeabor, Tim Maia or BBE Records, also hit the spot when I’m feeling creative.

Q: Do you see parallels between sound and taste? If so, what are the tastes of the understated, sexy sounds of Sthlm 4Ever?

A: The principles of music making have a lot of parallels with cooking – it’s rooted in local culture and the way you cook (like music) is deeply connected to what you listened to (or ate) growing up. If all the ingredients work together in harmony, you’re going to have a classy piece of music on your hands. If I had to re-imagine Sthlm 4Ever as a dish, I would describe it as a slow-cooked cod stew bursting with flavor from the herbs, potatoes and fresh tomatoes served up in a plastic bowl at 6am by a friendly hippie as you make your way home from a transcendent forest-rave. The tracks are all about balance, getting you to move and feel good about yourself but still challenging your ears; that is what makes exciting house music that extra little bit more special.

Q: If you could only eat at one more place (restaurant/cafe/mother’s kitchen) before you die, where and what would it be? Would you eat with others, would you eat alone?

A: I’m going to go out on a little bit of a limb here and choose a London based restaurant called Typing Rooms, not because it’s where I’ve eaten the most, but because it’s the last place that really blew me away when it comes to food. Eight courses of mind-blowing cuisine served by true professionals. It’s what I’d like to think Sthlm 4Ever sounds like, served up ice-cold, refreshing by the three master chefs Gideon Forceman, Ludvig Franzen and myself! And I would have to bring my friends, as there is nothing more tragic then dining alone 🙂

Q: Swedish fish or Swedish meatballs?

A: I wouldn’t openly sit here and bash Sweden’s most famous meat export but I’m going to have to go with the fish this time. Both have their time and place but when it comes to Sweden’s finest, it comes from either the sea or is served on a translucent blue vinyl from Clouded House.

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