Previously : Focus on... L4YØN (French version)
on... Mr. Bickle (French version)
on... Naif (French version)
on... The Cool Moonmist Mountain Band (French version)
on... Kevin Follet
on... TSF (TomaSound Factory)(French version)
on... Fading Call(French version)
on... leloopar(French version)
on... Contra Maerorem(French version)
on... Big Crease(French version)
on... VAPA(French version)
on... NEO 10Y(French version)
et on... Neon Fiji(French version)
Focus on... Franz Matthews
French version here
From now on, every month on HomeCooking Share , a regular user artist will be presented, put forward. In addition to his music, which can be found everywhere on the site, this is an opportunity to get to know each other better! For this new episode, focus on Franz Matthews
HomeCookingShare: To begin, who are you?
Franz Matthews: This is a question I often ask myself. I’m primarily an electronic music producer as Franz Matthews. In fact I just released a new track called 'All I Wanted' on the compilation of the 10 years of the label Days of Being Wild, and you can listen here. Next to that, I also have a more electro pop and disco project called Moon Wave. Music speaking better than words, here is the first single of the project, 'Get Together', which we just released on the new label Destours. In parallel, I manage a label and a publishing company, called HIFI/LOFI Records, rather oriented electronic music too. The last release we made with the label is the first EP of the Swiss artist PYRAME, and which includes remixes of Days Of Being Wild, Acid Washed, Rodion and Omer (originals and remixes). And finally, I have a Berlin-based music production studio, MOWD, with which I produce picture music, for commercials, but also for different artists. So I have quite a few hats at once, which explains my existential question raised above;)
HCS: How would you define your music?
FM: The main thread that is found in my music and in my projects is that there is always a Disco/ Post-disco leg. Generally, I evolve in a rather groovy and cosmic electronic music, mixing a production made with electronic elements, samples and organic instruments (bass, guitar, synths), while often bringing a little touch of World Music, whether it is at the level of samples, percussions, or melodies.
HCS: What made you decide one day to embark on this musical adventure?
FM: I’ve wanted to make music since I was a kid. But when I came to the choice of studies, I went into business studies, and then I started working in advertising and communication, thinking that the music scene was too difficult, after doing some experiments in internship and during my studies. That said, working in a field other than music has been a good experience, which I still enjoy today in my musical activities and as a freelance. But little by little, the desire to work in music and make music came back even stronger, I did not see myself working ad vitam aeternam in a company, and my former band 'Parlez vous Anglais? ' - which I was doing in parallel with my work - began to 'walk', and took me more and more time. So the choice to dump everything and throw myself into the music was quite natural. I’ve been doing this full time for 7 years now, I moved to Berlin, I started my studio, I continued to develop my projects, and I didn’t plan to stop so well!
HCS: Your influences?
FM: Bands like Soulwax, Red Axes, Cassius, Zuco 103, Lindstrom, Todd Terje, Zero 7, Whitest Boy Alive, LCD Soundsystem or Chromatics have always found themselves more or less in my musical galaxy. But I also listen to a lot of music mixing World and electronic music in the broad sense, recently I listened a lot to Alma Negra, Tschegue, Francis Bebey, the artists of the label ZZK...
HCS: If you had to leave on a desert island with 3 discs: which ones?
FM: Caribou’s next album, even if it hasn’t been released yet! But I had a big crush on his last title 'You and I', 'Declaration of Dependence' by Kings of Convenience. And finally a little compilation Late Night Tales, the one of Zero 7 for example. That said, I’d rather go to an island with a big Spotify playlist instead, right?
HCS: The perfect track to cook?
FM: 'Bark' from Voilaaa, even though cooking is not necessarily my strong suit. Maybe I should change my record?
HCS: Small technical point: with what material do you work?
FM: Synths (Juno 106, Prophet 08, JX3P), guitars (Fender Telecaster and Jazzmaster), my good old Jazz Bass Squier, right now I’ve just been lent a little DRM1 drum machine from Vermona, so I’m having fun with, but above all, a good carpet to be able to dance on when it starts to groove!
HCS: Not easy to break into the musical jungle, even with talent ... what do you think about it?
FM: I have a formula for breaking through, guaranteed by a marabout:
30% Work
30% Talent
10% Perseverance
10% Diversification
20% Chance
All right, let’s get lucky!
HCS: And finally, if you have something to add (pretty much what you want ...), here we go!
FM: Happy New Year, and above all good health!
To continue in music the discovery of the artist, here is his latest track uploaded : "All I Wanted"
To be continued... next month!