| A teen in a generation of electronic saturated airwaves, Mateo Murphy was always interested in electronic music. Says Mateo, "I didn't discover electronic music as something brand new. The music at the time was commercial, but for me this was like techno. It had a beat." |
| In the beginning of Mateo's initiation into the world of techno, Mateo armed himself with a collection of twelve inches and later learned to dj at high school dances. Upon completing school he moved from the Laurentians to attend College in Montreal. There he discovered the burgeoning rave scene, and in 1994 he started getting DJ gigs. He had connections, and though he played nearly every weekend at first, at a point the scene changed due to the high turn over, and he knew fewer promoters. By 1996, playing fewer raves, Mateo began to play house music at clubs, yet even then he was not playing enough. Faced with practical realities and life decisions Mateo went back to school. He got a computer programming diploma, and a steady job. He says, "I felt that music was fun, but until I could make a living out of it, I should make it a hobby". Having money for equipment, Mateo started producing and releasing records. Shortly after he released his first full-length album Impact, on Disktrick records, the club Aria opened. Getting the residency enabled him to quit his job and get into music full-time. Following that, in the summer of 2002 Mateo went to Europe for several months. "Staying in various cities across Europe enabled me to play lots of gigs, and to make lots of contacts that are very helpful now. That marked the next step of my career." |
| To date Mateo has worked hard, and has had a productive career as a recording artist. His first releases include First Impression on Misstress Barbara's Relentless/Iturnem, followed by tracks on Tiga's Turbo, and Nivoc?s Ascend and Default. In addition, Meteo released IS1 remix as his first track on a label from outside North America on Joel Mull's well-known Inside label, and he followed it up with Love Express and Bringing it Back in 2001 for Turbo. Recently Spectrum on Christian Smith's Tronic label was another big step. Reflects Mateo, "Now label owners around the world are hearing of me because of the strength of my releases and are wanting to work with me. They like my music and support me in the best way possible. A lot of djs who like my records can be seen to be supporting me." |
| Mateo not only has such support from others but he is a persona unique. Says Mateo, "Without trying to sound different I've naturally gravitated towards doing my own thing. I've had a very specific idea about what makes a dj a good dj. There are certain things that are important to me that might not be important to others, and that's why I've developed my own style." |
| As a DJ within a community of electronic music producers in Montreal, one might be inclined to ask Mateo about the confusion of classification where there is such diversity. "When people talk about a "Montreal sound", it's like "who are you talking about?" We have a bunch of people on similar, yet different wave lengths? But there are little pockets of people doing the same things." One of those duos working quietly together behind the scenes is TGV, comprised of Mateo Murphy and TigaSontag. TGV was born when Sunglasses at Night became a huge hit, and many production offers came to Tiga, in which he consistently asked for Mateo's expertise. The duo has released the TGV EP and remixes, which Mateo says is, "a collaboration of our influences, his electro side and my techno side." |
| Aside from this high profile work Mateo has developed his own recognizable sound of slick layered productions, and unique subtlety and finesse for the dance floor. Says Mateo, "The most important part about djing is putting two records together that tell a story." |
| During the last 6 months Mateo has been involved in a time-consuming whole-hearted creative process to make his latest album, Inside Out, with a story-like element. Inside Out is coming out in September, and in contrast to Impact, it for home-listening, and will be released on EloiBrunelle's Epsilonlab label, which grew from a collective of musicians and visual artists who do improvisation and live performance events. "The influences were the kinds of music I listen to when I am at home. I wanted to translate the range of musical styles, while still maintaining a cohesive whole, which is why when I was doing the album I had specific parts in mind. The tracks stand on their own but when you listen to the CD its like a continuous mix of music." |
| Mateo describes his album?s journey. "The beginning is in a minimal tech-house vein, influenced by artists like theorem and older pre-80?s-pop swayzak. Then it gets funkier, maintaining that electronic edge, influenced by Akufen, and in the middle of the album it sounds like the record is being flipped over and it is in the dubby house vein. Then it is housier, and finishes ambient melodic. There are five distinct styles of music. It is conceptual " not a collection of favourite tracks, nor similar sounding things. I wanted to make it like a dj set. - Techno music, because it's played by djs, has developed certain techniques, which are used because they?re effective on the dance floor, and making this home-listening album I had that influence." |
| For the future, Mateo says, "I'm working on new material to send to people who have approached me. I have big plans. I love doing dancefloor music and djing and I think now is a good time. Techno is always going to be very important for me. It's my first love." |
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| "Being a recording artist is a long term commitment and everything you do is one move further along the path to success. Some people luck out and have a huge hit that allows them to jump lots of steps. I haven't quite had that kind of amazing break through record, but every one has gotten me that much further. I need to evolve, and I will. This album is part of that evolution." |
| -Mateo Murphy |
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| While touring Europe, Mateo noted an attractive music industry. "It's bigger, there's much more support. It's happening. Seeing it with my own eyes made me realize if you want to make it as a techno artist, Europe is important. It's almost made me decide to move there." However, in the midst of the techno industry's current fluctuation, Mateo finds motivation at home. "In the last few years, people I know have become international superstars. You realize that when it happens to friends, it can happen to you. They all have their reasons, none of it can happen by accident. Luck can be involved, but you have to work. This has become an important value and lesson to me. If I want something I have to work hard to get it." Luckily Mateo feels; "Getting paid to have fun is the best feeling in the world. I can feel happy enjoying being productive, and making a living at the same time." |
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| :::Mateo Murphy, Man on a Mission: |
| Creating Inside Out::: |
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| Born in Germany and growing up in Canada, Mateo has a multi-ethnic background. "My Father was a musician and dj: not that he actively encouraged me to do either, but there was some osmosis or genetics. In that way it was normal for me to get involved in music." In addition to his French-Canadian roots, his Mother is Argentinean, and thus Mateo is able to recognize himself in different cultures yet not completely in any one tradition. "Being raised by people who are smart and educated, it was pretty liberal. They say that Spanish people are warm and have a sense of rhythm, and I have Latin blood" |
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