tokyo: features
mateo murphy
by brent csutoras

   From the Black Forrest in Germany to Montreal, Canada, Synth-Pop to Trance and Gabber, 14 year old boy to a world of producing, DJing, and fame. This is the rise to fame and inevitably the reality of one Mateo Murphy. "Since as far back as I can remember, music was the only thing I really wanted to do." And as far as we can tell, he’s doing quite well.

   Being surrounded by music at an early age and an initial exposure to both 80’s Synth-Pop and early Hip-Hop made for an easy jump into electronic dance music, which Mateo eventually did when he started to buy records in 1988. "It was shortly after I discovered dance music that I figured out what I could do, which was DJ and produce. When I first discovered the rave scene, the only things I heard were trance and hardcore so that’s what I started buying. I started DJing because I owned the records and felt I could do better than the people I was seeing and hearing. Shortly afterwards, I figured out that I was drawn to more minimal sounds and started making that my trademark. As time went on I got a little disillusioned with raves and techno. I started to really get into playing house music at bars, but I ultimately found it less exciting. So I rediscovered techno, but kept a strong house influence, and now my sound lies somewhere between the two."

   Devoting most of his time to DJing, Mateo would eventually spend enough time dabbling with his friends to take a shot at producing. "I had often been told that producing was the only way to really make it as a DJ, so once I hit that glass ceiling I knew I no longer had a choice. So it’s been about 2 years now that I’ve been taking producing serious." It’s obvious just how serious Mateo has become with numerous tracks available through compilations, singles, remixes, and his album entitled "Impact" on the label Districk. Already having collaborated with Delage, a trained sound engineer who worked with Mateo before he even had any equipment, Mateo has recently been working with Tiga, a fellow Montrealer who runs the label Turbo Records. "We have quite different tastes, but together we often come up with things that are quite unique." As rewarding as producing with other musicians might be, Mateo will admit he still prefers to produce alone. "An important part of the creative process for me is experimentation and I’m less likely to try things if there’s someone else in the room. Having said that, I find working with others can be very interesting due to the different tastes and skills each person brings to the table." Skills, taste, and experimentation don’t stop there though. Producing almost completely out of a PC, Mateo is a strong supporter of the computer production era. "I love the flexibility and the efficiency of it. I can do a track in half the time it used to take me, and I can stop and come back to it two weeks later, exactly where I left off. I am a lot more efficient working the way I do now than when I used mostly outboard gear. You can see now that the whole industry is slowly moving in the same direction."

   Even though Mateo has taken a stronger interest in producing, it hasn’t diminished his true love for DJing. "I still prefer DJing because it feels more instinctive and you get instant feedback for what you’re doing. Producing is more of a battle, albeit a very rewarding one. Although if I had been producing longer than DJing I might feel different about it."

  A combination of producing and DJing may characterize the lifestyle of most successful producers today but there are many other things that come along with the life that fame brings. One of the largest factors is adjusting to the pressure and responsibility that comes with success. Mateo, who views himself as only minutely famous, has already started to feel these changes. "People start treating you differently, and sometimes it’s enjoyable, but more often then not it’s pretty bizarre. People put you on a pedestal and feel like they know you, even if they’re complete strangers." When away from work Mateo says that the last place you will find him is in a club. Most likely he would be enjoying a book, hanging out with his girlfriend, or just relaxing. "When I’m at home, its usually spending the morning writing and replying to emails, making phone calls, out by early afternoon for a few hours to run errands, shop for records, and then most of the evening I spend working on music. When I’m on the road it’s usually travel, shop, eat, sleep, play gig, sleep some more, and repeat!"

   With so much work, responsibility, and change, life in music today can be plain hard work, but as Mateo clearing states it: "I’ve thought of giving it up several times, but never seriously. I always change my mind when I start thinking about what else I would be doing if it weren’t for music." Mateo has always had a good amount of support from his family and is well-educated and capable enough to do just about anything. So what else would he be doing if it weren’t for his love of music? "Either computer programming or graphic design: the former because I studied it in school and the latter because it’s always been a passion of mine." Luckily for the music world Mateo had decided to follow his dreams of traveling the world while spreading his music and enjoying life. In only two short years, he has already earned a worldwide respect for his producing and remixing skills and he has long been know for his ability to move a dance floor.

   Mateo Murphy will continue to experiment and work hard DJing and producing the music. He’s determined not to let anything stop him from accomplishing his goal: "As both a DJ and a Producer I want to create the most effective music possible, so that people will have no choice but to dance." The music world can be thankful for that.

Cascade – PGC

Cascade (remixes) – Haute Couture 2

Heat Pump/Blower – Monoptic 1

Ers 1-2-3 – Hautec 1

Caught in the Act – Disktrick 1

Impact – In-Filtration 1

First Impressions – Relentless 5

Zenith – Default 1

Azimuth – Default 3

Love Express – Turbo 5

Albums:

Impact – Disktrick