Brightest Young Things

Matthew Dear is a minimalist's dream artist. Influenced by the likes of Brian Eno, the Talking Heads, Nitzer Ebb and the omnipresent David Bowie, Dear as a DJ, producer and performer errs toward a far more progressive minimalist style than most. He edges closer toward a heavier four on the floor feel due to his classic Detroit techno influences, and is famed for his tracks recorded not just under his given name, but also as Audion, False and Jabberjaw, as well as touring band Matthew Dear and the Big Hands. Non minimal fans may know Dear's first big hit, 1999's "Hands Up for Detroit" as Fedde Le Grand used a Dear vocal sample from that track for 2006's house smasher "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit." The famed DJ plays the mnmlife party Friday night at DC's Muse Nightclub along with resident Sanath. This should be a wonderful time, as Dear is one of the more artful DJs of the genre and an all around phenomenal musician. Included in this interview are his thoughts on his famous track "Dog Days," the legendary Detroit club scene, and notes on his influences. Enjoy!

1. What would you classify as the most important part of the Detroit techno sound that initially lured you into wanting to become an electronic dance music producer?

I wasn't influenced directly by Detroit techno when I first started making music. I grew up in Texas, far removed from Detroit dance music. Plus, I was only about 5 or 6 when those guys were getting started. I realized later that artists I loved like Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, and the likes were probably influenced by the sounds coming out of Detroit. Indirectly then, I have been influenced by Detroit.

2. You have used a number of aliases in your storied career. Do they represent you attempting to explore your varied influences, or is there a deeper reasoning. Which has been your favorite exploration and why?

It was mainly a way to put out music with varying sounds. I'm always working in different tempos and approaches to music. It would have been too confusing to umbrella it all into one alias. I like to bounce in between them all, especially after I've been working in one for too long. I can't choose a favorite, since they're all part of the necessary balance.

3. In your growth as a producer and artist, how important has it been for you to revisit what made you both a) interested in music and b) a producer in the first place? Do you go back these days and revisit Bowie, The Talking Heads, Nitzer Ebb and other inspirations?

It's very important to revisit the music that influenced me. Well, it never really stops to be honest. Asa Breed definitely reflects a lot of the Talking Heads and Bowie that I listened to during that period of my life. My new album coming out this summer reflects more Brian Eno, CAN, and Gary Numan. There aren't outright influences you can hear really, but its just something I can notice. It's like building a subconscious palette to pull from while recording. It's unintentional, but I can't remove the influence of outside music on my production.

4. In what ways (outside of being a label boss) has Ghostly International's Sam Valenti IV been influential in your career. How has Detroit changed since you met him, and do you believe it to still be a vital center for EDM?

Sam's been a great help in my career. Primarily, he's been a musical confidant that I could share anything and everything with. Before all of this started, I was playing him tapes of really bizarre synthetic pop stuff. I wrote one song about new tennis shoes. Sam's seen me at my weirdest, and having that openness really allows for experimentation. I don't think Detroit's changed much since we met, although I haven't lived there for about 5 years now. I've been in New York for about 4 years. I try and return during the festival once a year and do a label party.

5. "Dog Days" is one of your most famous and commercially well respected singles. Do you still play it out, and, in a related question, were you happy to have success so early, or do you wish you had a "Dog Days" type production now (in terms of commercial respect), as likely you're a technically better producer now than before?

I play Dog Days live with my band, and it's kind of the revenge you're talking about. The live version is way more flushed out, and modernized, giving me that ability to keep reinventing the song when we play. There's a simplicity in the original though that I can't regret. I made that song living in a house with 4 other guys in Ann Arbor. I must have been 22 years old, and recorded through a really terrible microphone. I saved the song as a demo edit, thinking I'd go back and make it better. I rushed the mix down so I could play it out that night, and my ride was almost to my house. It's all about the "first thought, best thought" belief, and sometimes when you're rushed, the best things happen. You can't over think things this way.

Want more? Check out Matthew Dear on Facebook and catch him live @ MNMLife's party at MUSE tomorrow