LUMEN Brings Secret Live Sessions to the World with YouTube Premiere & Debut Single
The Californer/10312747

LOS ANGELES - Californer -- Every audience member is handpicked—small, intimate gatherings where he played Afro house, baile funk, techno, trap, ancient folkloric music, and jazz live on piano, keyboards, and drum pads. People cried. Some said they had psychedelic experiences without drugs. Others shared that it changed their relationship with their family—or even with God.

Now, for the first time, LUMEN is inviting the world into his home studio.

On May 3, he released a recorded live performance video on YouTube, capturing the magic of these word-of-mouth-only shows. On May 5, he'll begin releasing music from these secret sessions, starting with his debut single, "day viii. FLAME." The track serves as a medley of pieces created for the performances. A Spotify Countdown is now live for the full EP, DAYS BEFORE FORMATIONS.



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About LUMEN

LUMEN is the electronic artist name of Luca Mendoza, a classical and jazz prodigy turned genre-blending pioneer. He began music school at age three and, by his teens, became a Los Angeles Philharmonic Composer Fellow and toured six continents as a jazz pianist. He was named Downbeat Best College Soloist during his freshman year at USC, where he studied classical composition, jazz piano, and production.

His 2024 debut was a collaboration with drum & bass legends Noisia and Sleepnet—the same artists who helped develop Skrillex's early sound. He also has a track with Black Thought of the ROOTS with Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

A New Format for Live Electronic Music

The project began with a piano improvisation for friends in his studio. LUMEN realized how rarely his generation sees musicians actually play—especially in electronic music. Though he loves digital production, he missed the sense of live connection. So he created a new format: performing cutting-edge electronic music live on instruments for audiences of just 5–30 people.

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The shows quickly gained a following, with guests returning and bringing friends to what they called "life-changing" sessions. LUMEN ended up performing nearly a hundred shows—in his studio, living rooms, a ti-pi, and a geodesic dome at Burning Man. Each set was different, blending global sounds, electronic textures, and jazz-rooted improvisation.

Until now, the music was exclusive—no recordings, no setlists, just the moment.

That changes with this video and the first single from DAYS BEFORE FORMATIONS. LUMEN is inviting the world into the culture that's formed around these sessions—a new kind of live electronic experience that merges musicianship, ritual, and sonic exploration.

Experience the Magic
Live Session: https://youtu.be/gMHMJDUEpNg
EP: DAYS BEFORE FORMATIONS
Debut Single May 5: "day viii. FLAME"