Matthew Styles Interview. May 10, 2011
Interview by: http://we-are-vague.com/
Q. You are a successful and respected DJ/Producer and have spent time building your career in London and Berlin. What are the main differences between the two cities underground music scene?
A. There are many cultural differences in both cities, but they both have diverse music scenes in different ways. London because of its size and multiculturalism has a rapidly evolving scene in many different directions. There is this very large Afro-Caribbean, South American and asian communities in London of which there isn’t in Berlin. Berlin is much smaller and cheaper to live, therefore the communication and development between artists is much easier, which is also very interesting in the case of sharing ideas. The government in Berlin is much more relaxed than in the UK, so you get these great underground parties & clubs that couldn’t exist so easily in the UK. Also many clubs in Berlin stay open as long as there are people there, but in UK the opening hours are generally more restricted. However the energy can be more intense in the UK because of this. Both are great though in their own way though
Q. Do you prefer a big crowd or small intimate venue?
A. The crowd and sound are the most important things for me, if you have a large space but the crowd are relaxed and the sound is good then it can be fantastic. Generally though in a small space it’s more easy to make a connection with the people.
Q. What acts and labels are inspiring you at the moment?
A. In terms of electronic music I’m always checking a wide variety of stuff, anything from Ramadanman to Murk, Theo Parrish, Skudge, Gemini, Blaze, Dance Mania, Herbert, NSI and Roska. I just look for good tracks with a feeling, thats in my tempo range.
Q. ..and what inspires you in general?
A. I think in general I’m open to be inspired by anything around me and as much as I can. Inspiration for me is the energy to keep going and make something that represents me. I find the internet and media can suck that energy though with too much information and noise, which leads to confusion.
Q. What advice would you give to any up and coming DJ/Producers?
A. Develop your own style, being inspired by something is one thing but to copy is another. Find your voice within, not use someone else’s.
Q. We’re really looking forward to having you play for us on the 28th. From what we have gathered, your last London gig was in December 2009. So, correct us if our research has fallen short, but, what can people expect from your set after such a long time away from playing out here in London?
A. Thanks I am looking forward to playing for you. The last time I played in london was last year at Fabric though with Dinky and Ricardo. Quite often in the last few years I have played for them un-announced until the night. I hope to give you a good representation of records I am feeling right now, whether they be new or old.
Q. And finally, what have you been working on recently and/or whats next in the pipe line for Matthew Styles?
A. I am working on a project with my fiancée Dinky, which is more about songs with a different tempo and structure. I will do more club music, but generally my philosophy is not about having a huge repertoire of dance music out monthly to get gigs. I am very interested in sound and the possibilities for creating them. We have a lot of possibilities available to us to create now and I really like to explore those and the contexts we can use them in.
Check out this awesome mix Mr Styles did at the end of last year: HERE
PromoMixes.com Podcast – Zanzibar by matthewstyles
