Artist You Should Know: Francis and the Lights

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KCRW DJ Mathieu Schreyer will spin at the Echo Friday night, opening the show for an artist he loves called Francis and the Lights. Francis will drop by the station later in the evening for a Guest DJ set during Mathieu’s show between midnight and 3am (technically Sat morning).

From Mathieu:

I was first turned onto his music through the video for his track “The Top.”  I was blown away by it and showed it to a bunch of friends, before I even listened to any of his other songs. I  just couldn’t share his music with people without showing his video — the way he sings that song, the way he moves to it — I was convinced that he really feels his music, that he really believes in it.  And that conviction was contagious.

Then I listened to his first two EP’s and got into it even deeper. Everyone I played it for seemed to feel the same way – this guy is dope! I played it for my friend Anthony Mandler, who does music videos for Rihanna and Jay Z, and he was blown away too. Soon after, he worked with Drake and they bonded over their mutual love of Francis and the Lights (and it appears the two artists might work together on his next record).

Check out Francis and the Lights – Darling, It’s Alright

It seems like all the stars are lining up for this band. And I almost missed the boat on this one! Three years ago an employee at the Bar Marmont, where I DJ each week, handed me his EP before it was finished. Clearly, I didn’t get it. It took me a year and a half to come around.

Hopefully it won’t take other music fans that long.  See the magic live — check him out opening for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros tonight at Royce Hall or at The Echo tomorrow! And listen in to my show tomorrow night, of course.