Sitting in his home studio layering himself atop of himself, tinkering with software and overall just playing good music, Minneapolis musician Keith Lynch just keeps churning out the tunes. You don’t need pro tools when you’ve got it, you know?

Now on his seventh album under the name Unknown Component, Lynch’s newest offering, In Direct Communication, is a 10-track story problem of rockers, whiny punk, creepers and ballads.

Stream “It’s a Fine Line” on Localtone Radio

If Lynch left Minneapolis traveling at 70 mph, and I sat on my couch listening to this album, who would achieve enlightenment first? Hell, I always sucked at math, but this is one Unknown Component worth striving for.

We had the opportunity to chat with Lynch about this album. You’ll see he’s a straight to the point kind of guy…

Who is Unknown Component?
Keith Lynch

How would you describe your sound?
Melodic, Original, DIY

DIY rocks! Do you play all the instruments or did you have some friends help out?
I write and record all the music myself.

What programs do you use for recording or did you hit a studio?
I use a really basic program without any sophisticated programming.

Who are your influences?
In the past I’ve relied on musical influences, but recently I’ve relied less and less on them.

By my count, In Direct Communication is your seventh album. How does it differ from past releases?
It was written a lot faster than the previous albums.

Tell me about the haunting track “Somewhere a Light Has Gone Out.” Do I hear some Black Heart Procession influence there?
Just checked it out on YouTube, sounds good, I can hear the similarities. That song was written mainly on piano and was one of the last songs written for the album.

What do you hope listeners get out of the Unknown Component experience?
I hope they get what they want to get, it’s a complicated process of listening to music and experiencing something from it, I hope they get something meaningful.

Have any shows planned in the future?
I’ll be playing at Silvie’s Lounge in Chicago on Oct 9th.

Where can people get the album?
Songs are available for free download @ www.unknowncomponent.com