Hailing from Oslo, Norway, Lukestar – a.k.a. Truls Heggero, Yngve Hilmo, Marius Ergo, and Jørgen Smådal Larsen– have already managed to create quite a name for themselves (that’s slightly easier to pronounce). During 2008, Lukestar released their second album ”Lake Toba” in an impressive collection of territories throughout our little planet; UK, US, Benelux, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, France, Japan, Malaysia, Denmark and Sweden.

Growing up in the far outskirts of Oslo with the wilderness as their nearest neighbor, Truls and the gang started making songs inspired by 80s pop music and Queen. Turning teenagers in the early 90s, the band got swept up by the Nevermind-revolution, as a great deal of their generation did. This led to the fascination that Lukestar still has for 3-chord pop-songs covered in energetic guitars and melodies provoking waves of spine-chills. Since then, Lukestar’s sound has evolved, with guitars, drums, bass & keyboards creating a dynamic universe surrounding the otherworldly falsetto of lead singer Truls´ magnetic voice, which comes to him naturally and quite unexpectedly.
For every moment of super-accessible pop they have created, there is an equal span of aggressive math-rock. For every lyric that could have been torn from the pages of a book on ancient mythology, there is another that seems just as suited for pop radio.

Lake Toba has sold more than 4,500 copies (keeping in mind that 15,000 sales in their country is their equivalent of a gold record) and won the Norwegian Grammy for Best Rock Album of 2008. Pitchfork caught on early, giving the album a 7.0 review and calling it, "a solid collection of pulsing indie-rock songs with half-shouted hooks and guitars unwinding like fractal art." NME.com have also come on as big supporters, featuring the album on their site.

Written about Lake Toba:

"Instantly likable pop songs that make you hum along with every word, but beneath the surface they are intricate and complex. They deserve every ounce of success they ultimately will get"
- Black Velvet UK

White Shade is a great song from a great Norwegian band. And no, that isn’t Danielson you hear singing on this track. Lukestar’s pop sound is an otherworldly one; seemingly taking as much inspiration from Mediaeval mythical creatures as they do from power-math-rock. Riffs and fairies never sounded so good together as they do here.
- InSound.com, recommended track of the week Nov 9th 2007.

"(Truls) does a fine job singing like an ethereal water nymph beckoning to you seductively from a moist water-lily."
-NME

"Lake Toba is an excellent record with subtle, persuasive choruses"
- Rock Sound

"Lake Toba is one of the year’s great discoveries."
8/10 Popmatters.com

"The first single "White Shade" is stunning and their second, "The Shade You Hide", is crazy good"
-tvhits!

"A very listenable indie album. A winning formula: a load of three-minute songs with a pleasing mix of aggressive drums, melodious guitars and feminine-sounding vocals. You can´t go wrong."
The Indiependent

"White Shade drips with icy beauty"
- Guitarist