Luke James Williams Talks New Album, Music Video And More
Words by Glenn Sargeant
Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By Measure PR
Rising English folk artist Luke James Williams will release his second album ‘Limes Hotel,’ on Friday 17th April 2026.
What is your earliest musical memory?
Miming along to ‘Do wah diddy diddy’ by Manfred Mann with my Dad in the lounge
When did you begin songwriting?
I think I was probably about 8 or 9. I remember that one of the first songs I wrote was called ‘Running Down The Runway’, heavily inspired by Tom Petty’s ‘Learning To Fly’!
You have your new album ‘Limes Hotel, ’released in April 2026. How did you want to approach the making of the album?
I wanted to work a bit quicker and more intuitively on this album, not poring over decisions for too long and instead being guided by gut feeling to get the root of the emotion of each song
Where did you record the album?
I recorded it at Unit Studios in Letchworth, Hertfordshire with my good friend and long term collaborator Nick Kozuch
Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?
I turned up to studio one day with some twigs, branches and a bag of dead leaves that I’d collected. I certainly had some strange looks as I walked up to the studio and I think Nick thought I’d finally lost the plot! We ended up recording the twigs and leaves as part of the percussion track for a song called ‘Seeds’ and I love the forest floor atmosphere it creates
Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?
The album is based around acoustic guitar and voice but we incorporated strings a little more with Nick composing some beautiful arrangements as well as some electronic elements which helped to enhance the atmosphere of certain tracks. You can hear on ‘Hollows and Branches’ how we experimented with tracking guitars at different speeds and then combining them to give a wobbly tape kind of effect
Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?
I’m not sure I’d describe any of the tracks as happy! but a) ‘Knocking For Reasons’ is delivered with a wry smile b) ‘Milk & Medicine’ c) ‘Ready’
Who were the musicians who were on the album with you?
Nick (producer) played some piano and bass. The amazing Dear Wife sang on a few songs as well as my friend Orion. There was also Toby Turton (Cello), Emma Crossley (Violin), Charlie Pyne (Double Bass), Karl Lyden (Trombone) Jean-Paul Frappier (Cornet & Flugelhorn) and Micko Damnjanovski (Tuba). All incredible musicians who I feel very lucky to have playing on the album
Was it a difficult album to write?
I wouldn’t say it was difficult to write but the songs came out of a difficult period. The writing helped me make sense of what was happening in my life at the time
Who designed the album artwork?
The cover photo was taken by my friend Julian Eales. We shot it at sunrise in June last year which meant a painful 3.30am start but I’m so glad we did. We took my desk and set it up on the edge of a field in the fens, as though I am the receptionist of Limes Hotel, and we caught the sun just as it was about to come up. I love the image Julian captured – its magic
Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?
I live in a small rural village outside Cambridge. Words I would use to describe it are Beauty. Community. History. Belonging. Space
How do you look after your voice?
I had a few singing lessons when was younger so I have always been mindful of my breathing and I try to do my voice warm ups and drink plenty of water before I sing. I don’t eat dairy anyway which is also something most experts tell you to avoid
Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2026?
Yes, I’ll be playing a short run of UK headline dates in May, June & July (London, Sheffield, Coventry, Bury, Cambridge & Bishops Stortford) as well as a few festivals over the summer. You can find details at my website lukejameswilliams.co.uk
What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?
To have entertained and to have made an emotional connection with the audience
Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?
My live setup is pretty simple with just acoustic guitar and voice but I use a little stomp box made from an old ice hockey puck which allows me to add a heartbeat type sub bass drum to certain songs and I also have some pedals which allow me to build up the texture and atmosphere at times
You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?
The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. It’s one of the most stunning books I’ve ever read; so vibrant, poetic and raw. I’d like to think that the music I strive to create would be a good fit and it would be amazing to compose for different sorts of instruments to bring the book to life
One of the new tracks is the single ‘Hollows and Branches’. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?
It’s inspired by an old friend who is sadly no longer with us. I used to stay at her house and we’d have the most amazing times; climbing up hills late at night to see the stars and planets, cooking delicious food, playing music, we even once nursed an injured owl back to health before releasing it back into the wild. She instilled in me a profound love of nature and the idea that we are all one with the natural world around us
The track is accompanied by a music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?
It was directed by the supremely talented Matthew Oaten who has made all of the videos for this album. I absolutely love his work and so have trusted him to follow his intuition for each song. He wanted to make a very simple video with his daughter, with little to no direction, just letting her explore and interact with nature. They shot it on a beautiful frosty and sunny January morning and it has brought a whole new level of meaning to the lyrics
Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?
I love so much music but some of the my absolute favourite artists are PJ Harvey, Sufjan Stevens, Carlos Varela, Massive Attack & Beck. An artist you might not know and I would thoroughly recommend you check out is Flock Of Dimes, her latest album ‘The Life You Save’ is incredible. I’m also hooked on the music of a Chilean duo called Camila y Sylvio, especially their most recent album ‘Piedra Azul’
What makes Luke James Williams happy and what makes you unhappy?
The list of things that makes me unhappy would be much longer but to try and sum it up: exploitation, intolerance and absence of respect. Things that make me happy are time with my favourite people (& dogs!), nature, travel, music, books, films and cooking
Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By Measure PR
Luke James Williams new album ‘Limes Hotel’ is released on Friday 17th April 2026.
