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New EP: Metrosideros

‘New EP’ is where a band or artist answers some questions about their latest release. Up next is Matt from Metrosideros, who have just released their 3rd EP ‘tomentum’.

When/where was the new EP recorded?
This one was recorded towards the end of 2021, in a stepwise fashion – the base track is usually developed in my home studio, then additional instrumentation and vocals are tracked at Puresound, with mixdown at Tiny Triumph. I like it, partly for flexibility, mostly for each step of the process adding something quite new and you increase the chance of “happy accidents”, those things which wouldn’t happen if it was more linear or contained. A segmented process can also mean biting off manageable chunks, and adapting to lockdowns and other restrictions you spread your risk. I would rather record more or less when inspiration strikes, rather than book for 6 months out when the Muse may well have left the building, or be in lockdown somewhere.

Who produced/engineered the EP? How did the tracks come together in the studio, or at home?
Ant Limbrick as recording engineer at Puresound – like most professionals he knows his stuff but helps me get back to basics, like “is that the best take?” or “is that what you aimed to do?”. Toby Lloyd at Tiny Triumph, likewise aims to get to the heart of the song, trying things, and reflecting back. One of our touchstones has been the phrase “hmm, sounds a bit… ordinary”, which means we’re waaay off track.

Did the shorter format of an EP give you the option to experiment in any way with your sound or with different forms of song-writing?
This time we did experiment a bit more, and included a remix for one track, Nozomi 223 to Kyoto. There were about 30 guitar tracks of various kinds, mostly Japanese string sounds, some Indian/Persian themes,and the song I had in mind was starting to get a bit overloaded. So I asked Rachel Dodo in Sweden if she’d like to remix and remake the piece, and … WOW. You’ll just need to hear it.

Was there any specific gear you used to capture that?
The koto guitar was me detuning a semi-acoustic, then sticking a screwdriver in at the 9th fret to form the second bridge, and hitting the strings with two smaller screwdrivers. I’ve been messing around with treated guitars since I was 18, so I know roughly what I’m going to get. My other go-to sounds and pedals get a fair workout, esp the sitar emulator, reverse reverb, some arpeggiators. It’s quite light on guitar distortion this time around, so my Big Muffs are sulking. Rachel did some re-sampling, and added an AI for the vocal additions. That’s kind of her thing – trip hop with spoken word poetry delivery by AI.

Is there a particular track or theme that the EP was formed around?
I guess the theme would be paradoxes. Or contrasts. If This Be Love is ostensibly a love song but it’s quite vulnerable and insecure. Overall it’s more cinematic, like theme songs to dystopian and cyberpunk anime and movies, but even that is a paradox because unlike 15 years ago, modern anime like Blade Runner or the recent Ghost in the Shell series seems to be soundtracked with hyperpop. The future ain’t what it used to be! It’s an interesting conjunction as I’ve just signed with Songbroker for film, tv, and other sync work and placements. More cyberpunk trip hop!

Where do you see the EPs place in growing an audience online? Do you see it as a progression towards an album or a separate entity?
I see it more as a return to what indie labels were doing in the early-90s, for similar reasons. EPs are manageable, you can take some thematic and sonic risks, release shorter pieces more often, and hit the New Release timings for playlists and radio. This definitely helps me with UK and European radio and promo. Saving up time, energy, and inspiration for an album seems quite risky. I would probably find it hard to release an album because there would always be something nagging me that wasn’t quite right. Anyway, even if things go perfectly, your album could be released to a giant wave of apathy because something else is going on. If we end up doing an album it’ll be because there’s a suite of great music there, not because we’ve got target fixation on 44 minutes of songs. An EP means you have more regularly updated, fresh, nicely mastered material so can respond to invitations to compilations. We got onto a downtempo compilation called Downtown, Pt. 2, by Label Cantroll, partly through lobbying, but mostly because it was the week before Christmas and we had a song just out of mastering. I’m looking to do the same with Trip Hop Nation’s benefit campaign for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

Which digital platforms is it available on?
Bandcamp, all streaming, Apple, Tidal, the S-word.

Are you doing any gigs or promotion for its release?
Possibly in May, in Wellington, tba! We are signed to Shore Dive Records in the UK, who are doing limited edition CDs, via Bandcamp. Selling fast, apparently.


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