Artist:: Matt O'Brien
Title:: The Portimao EP
Label:: Off-key Industries
Format:: 12"
Catalog No:: OK001
Release Date:: 24/7/2005
Click below to hear preview clips::
a1:: Hidden High
a2:: Loptech
b1:: Invader
b2:: Headpeel
Matt grew up in the remote mining village of Blackwood, South Wales, made mildy famous (in Welsh terms, at least) for spawning mascaraed 'punk' rockers The Manic Street Preachers. One of Matt's earliest musical endevours was playing bass in Blackwood's only other punk band, fck The Cross. Strangley, stardom eluded F.T.C. and they split up due to musical indifferences.
Soon after, Matt found himself living on the dole in Southend, mecca of most things illicit. It was there that he discovered his love for electronic music, amongst other things. Laying his guitar to rest, he began building up a studio and hid away for the next few years honing his production skills. In November 2004 he emerged and was asked to perform his debut live gig supporting Terrace (Stefan Robbers, head of Eevolute records).
Since then Matt has been busy recording the tracks that comprise The Portimao EP, a diverse four tracker that recalls the kind of brain-melting thought-provoking techno that is becoming increasingly hard to find amidst a sea of 2 bar loops and identikit producers.
Hidden High kicks off the EP with pulses of emotion beamed from another dimension while beats writhe and fidget underneath. Loptech takes the chicago jack trax template and strips everything out until all thats left is syncopated bleeps and a vortex of elastic bass.
On the flip, Invader jacks up the floor even further with an explosive prime time mover designed to twist your brain out of shape. The EP ends with Headpeel, a slice of spiralling weirdness taking techno right back into the heart of the rave where it always belonged.
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