The Eighth Note is 8 quick Questions with Wellington Musicians. A chance for us to catch up with people & see what they’re up to, or introduce you to a new musician/band and their music.Up next is Matt who is one half of new breakbeat/trip-hop band Metrosideros, along with Ellie Rose.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about your music:
I’m Matt, I take care of guitar noises, soundscapes and programming. We tend to focus on downtempo beats and moods, and play with layers more than structures. One reviewer called us “post gaze trip hop”, which is uncanny because I love mid-90s trip hop and guitar bands, and used to play in Malchicks some time back.
What have you been working on lately? Any new tracks or albums on the way?
We dropped an EP before Christmas, there’s another one being finished up now, and we are back at Puresound bringing some new work to life. It’s getting into a nice rhythm, downtempo, naturally.
Where is the best place people can follow you & find your music?
Everything’s on our Bandcamp page, and Facebook. IG account coming, promise!
What were the 3 most influential albums to you growing up?
Probably The Psychedelic Furs, because it was the first record I bought with my own money!
The Jesus and Mary Chain Psychocandy inspired me to buy a guitar.
And The Chemical Brothers Dig Your Own Hole was another sonic wake-up call, like “wow, so THAT’s possible??”
Honorable mentions definitely to Dead can Dance Within the Realm of a Dying Sun just as proof that you can put something that is achingly beautiful and haunting on a record.
Which other Wellington musician (s) would you most like to work with?
Probably Rubita, or Tupe from Poporazzi.
What’s your favourite Wellington venue to play in?
It’s been a while… most of them don’t exist, like the Bodega, Carpark, James Cabaret for different reasons. Maybe Meow. Definitely Island Bay Rotunda for summer!
In your songwriting or composing (or the band’s songwriting) how do the compositions and songs take shape?
Mostly I write in Ableton, sometimes that is an interpretation of a guitar-based track, sometime just a beat or sample. Then fill it out with optional elements to chew over, some of which turn out to be accidents, or highly specialised incompetence, which is fine. Then Ellie or Rosie will bring their vocal and arrangement magic, we record at Puresound, and mix at Tiny Triumph. I guess each stage has its own way of developing the song. It sounds convoluted, but I think Ellie and I wrote “You Don’t Need To Carry That Load” in 10 days. It was just ready to be born.
Where/when is your next gig?
25th March at Meow. And maybe a special treat to announce on the night. So keep an eye on the fb page, hit like/follow etc!