On February 17, EDM duo Lost Kings made a stop at Chicago’s Concord Music Hall as a part of their I Think I Think Too Much tour. Just before the show, The Chicago Maroon sat down with Lost Kings DJs Robert (Rob) Abisi and Nick Shanholtz to talk about their creative process and the development of their music style. The pair arrived donning their new merch: LA Dodgers-style baseball jerseys with “Lost Kings” stitched onto the front.

Abisi recounted meeting Shanholtz through a mutual friend at his twenty fifth birthday party, where the two spoke about plans for collaboration. He stated that they both had many “skills to learn from each other” and that their strengths were complementary, eventually leading to the formation of Lost Kings. The duo rose to popularity through their remixes of hits from artists such as The Killers, Disclosure, and Sam Smith in addition to their experimental house music. Abisi shared how the pair’s shared goals shape decision-making throughout their creative processes. “You can be a fan of anything and enjoy what we do,” he stated. In the duo’s early days, the primary goal was to sign with a dance label. The pair made music that was fun and relatable to a wide audience, thus launching them to their early success in the music industry.

When asked about the evolution of Lost Kings’s music, Shanholtz laughed and remarked that he thinks he and Abisi have improved over time and tapped into deeper emotions. Shanholtz shared that the lyrics of “I Miss The Future” relate the trials of the pandemic and the grief of losing a loved one—two topics not generally explored in dance music. The pair noted that they want to be transparent with fans about their personal lives, as they hope to be both “inspiring and relatable.” In a genre like EDM that often fails to produce relatable music, Lost Kings stand out.

Looking to the future, Lost Kings want to continue making music that is true to themselves, with an emphasis on energy and emotion. They want their listeners to find an escape in the music. “We will not be tied down to a certain sound,” Abisi told The Maroon. “Trends come and go, but we want to prioritize feelings over sound in our songs.” The pair’s refusal to cater to trends has allowed them not only to make art that withstands the trials of time, but also to build a diverse fan base.

Abisi and Shanholtz bid me farewell and made their way backstage to prepare for the show. When I joined the rest of the audience in the main hall, I was met with a large crowd standing in front of a sprawling stage. There were clusters of people hovering around one of the venue’s four bars who were clearly already enjoying the night. The room was filled with a wide variety of fans, ranging from seasoned concertgoers decked out in Lost Kings merch to EDM newbies (like myself). The opener, Cheyenne Giles, had already begun his set. Giles specializes in remixes of party classics blended with newly released music, a combination ensuring that all in attendance found something to appreciate. The wall behind the stage projected wild, disorienting, AI-generated art. Perfect for the occasion.

After successfully exciting the crowd, Giles introduced the duo we had all been waiting for. Abisi and Shanholtz stormed onto the stage to greet the audience, and their entrance was fittingly accompanied by explosions of smoke and flashing lights of all colors. The pair shared with the crowd their excitement to be back in Chicago, where they had not been since Lollapalooza in 2021. The set began, and I instantly understood what the two meant by creating “relatable” dance music; audience members jumped in sync to popular hits “Broken In All The Right Places” and “Phone Down.” Everyone cheered when Shanholtz climbed on top of his turntable, ripped off his jersey, and tossed it into the crowd. Whether it be the dancing of the crowd, the liveliness of the music, or the sentiment within the lyrics, Lost Kings truly did provide something for everyone.