Matthew Dear is an ideal example of progression within electronic music. His early work, like 2003’s Leave Luck To Heaven on the Ghostly International imprint, propelled him into the upper echelon of dancefloor music. As the years passed, Matthew Dear has been able to stretch the possibilities of his music to a new apex, both on record and performance-wise.
Starting prominently with 2007’s Asa Breed and on through into 2010’s Black City, Dear has had an evolved presence within his own music that had guided him into more of a front man role. The supplement of a live tour band breathes another existence into his music, and takes it into realms not experience on record. With his new EP Headcage, which is a precursor to the upcoming Beams album, Dear continues on his musical transcendence and shares with one small seed how he goes about the journey.
Matthew Dear, image: © Ghostly International
Matthew Dear, image: © Ghostly International
Going from someone who early on was mainly a DJ, was it a nervous ride to transform yourself into the performer you are today?
I tour as a DJ more often now than I did five years ago. Back then, I was predominantly getting booked as Audion live. It was definitely more akin to a DJ performance than a band performance, and it took a while to figure out just how to make it all work. There is such a different interaction with the crowd at both shows. In a club, the crowd wants to disconnect from you and escape into the music. In most rock settings, they want to see the white’s of your eyes.
What’s being a front man mean to Matthew Dear?
I am out there as a conduit for the music from my albums. The music is the front man, and I am just a portion of it. You’re trying your best to recreate a portable studio, and give the crowd a unique re-interpretation of the songs they know.
© Matthew Dear
I’ve seen your live show after Black City was released and I was just floored. You take the recorded music to new heights live. Where does the inspiration to do this come from?
It’s important to give the songs a new lease on life. They aren’t crafted for the stage, and don’t have live drums, trumpets or guitar parts. When it comes time to do them live, we write new lines and give the songs a more live sound. The inspiration comes from not letting myself get bored with the recorded material.
You have a sound that is reminiscent of music of the past but completely holds its weight in the present without ever sounding dated. What is your philosophy when molding your sound?
I search for the inherently odd in myself, and once I find it, I put it into the music. Sometimes love, fear, or jealousy gets attached to the subconscious outpouring. I guess what I’m saying is I don’t put up any gates, and hold anything in when I’m writing. This process doesn’t always yield a keeper, but it’s the only way to keep moving forward.
You are one of the founders of the Ghostly International label that was the vision of Sam Valenti IV. Your record Hands Up For Detroit was the first release in 1999. Looking back all these years later, talk about those early days of Ghostly.
We were extremely confident in our abilities, and wanted to produce as much high quality content as possible. We fed our dreams daily with such passion and enthusiasm, that it didn’t allow for second-guessing or questions. I look back and am proud of what we accomplished, and more importantly, what we thought we could accomplish.
Guest Vocals by Jonny Pierce of The Drums; Concept & Directed by Morgan Beringer and additional Source Photography by Toyin Timeyin
words: Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier
images: © Ghostly International
