Making waves of acoustic research in the “quiet” outer suburbia of Connecticut, Anderson is anything but quiet. Now transplanted in Berlin, his sound is built on the inspiration of kinetic psychedelia, creating a fresh and progressive yet simultaneously nostalgic vibe. With a foundation in house and techno, Anderson’s music draws from all realms of electronic music, blurring genre lines with a passion for audio experimentation. This unique approach is what continually evolves and matures his taste.
Currently, Anderson is closely affiliated with Wex Records, working alongside long-time friend Marco Malpeso. Under the Wex umbrella, they have produced a multitude of sub-labels to accommodate their expanding catalog of styles and sounds. These include Day By Day, Telomere Plastic, AHAAD, La Luna, and Trix Trax, each offering its own distinctive style.
With releases on Day By Day, Haws, Terrazzo Trax, Gene On Earth’s Limousine Dream Compilation, Birmingham’s Space Lab Rave Crew, Estonia’s Gestalt Label, and his home base Wex Records, Anderson maintains a consistent workflow and release schedule. He also holds an arsenal of unreleased work, ready to surprise and delight listeners. Join us as we delve into Anderson’s journey, his inspirations, and his experiences in the ever-evolving world of electronic music.
Torture the Artist: Hello Matt, tell us something about your day!
Anderson: Hello guys, first off, thank you for having me on for an interview and podcast <3. Lovely to answer some questions and share this mix with you! I woke up quite early today, went to the market to buy some groceries, and later I’ll meet with a friend to have some drinks and catch up on life.
Torture the Artist: How did you get involved with electronic music, and where did you first encounter it?
Anderson: My first encounter with electronic music must have been in year 7, sitting in the back seat of my friend’s older brother’s car. We were driving around our hometown at night, and he had a Deadmau5 CD playing. At the time, I was very into classic rock and more conventional music, so hearing this realm of strictly electronic sounds in music really blew my mind. Funny to bring this up, this past weekend while at a party, a friend and I were sitting on the terrace going down the Deadmau5 discography and geeking out on all the nostalgia.
Torture the Artist: You are originally from Stamford, Connecticut, a place one does not necessarily associate with electronic music. Did Stamford give you the freedom to develop your musical profile, and would you say that non-electronic melting pots are a better place or opportunity for artists to grow before moving to one of the electronic metropolises?
Anderson: I wouldn’t say it’s better or worse. When I was younger, where I grew up, electronic music wasn’t the norm in my age group/friend group at the time. It wasn’t until year 10/11 that we all started to travel into NYC (about 45 minutes from Stamford) to go to more electronic music events. Even then, it was a bit more on the commercial end of dance music. A lot of Americanized EDM and Dubstep was our go-to during this period. Luckily, Stamford was close enough to still travel to NYC and Brooklyn to experience all sorts of electronic music. As I got older and started to explore more “underground” realms of dance music, each step of my ear’s development was always there. As I got older, I had the pleasure of meeting new communities and connecting with friend groups in my hometown who also shared this similar interest in sound.
Torture the Artist: You’ve just been touring the USA, with dates in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Detroit – how was that, and were there any standout moments for you in your home country?
Anderson: Yes, the US tour was great. I was feeling a bit down before leaving for the trip, so I think my expectations were a bit low. I had been invited by my friends Tomas Station & Obee, who run the label/party Can You Jigit. Obee asked me to play in the NYC & Detroit gigs, but they were about three weeks apart. Within the month or two, he had asked me, I felt I should line up some other dates around the US. It was mostly a northeast/midwest tour. Certainly, the standout moments were NYC and Detroit. It was my first time traveling to Detroit, especially for a gig, let alone during Movement festival as well. The party was at an insane factory warehouse/art space/community center/recycling center. I had the pleasure of starting off the massive outdoor stage to kick things off. Very grateful to play alongside Theo Parrish, Jonny Rock, Magda, Salar Ansari, Tomas Station & Obee, and a lot of other amazing artists. Can You Jigit crew will always hold a special place in my heart.
Torture the Artist: Were you able to get out and about in between the gigs and if so, what did you manage to do (aside from record shopping)?
Anderson: Well, you nailed it with the record shopping. Aside from that, I spent some time with my family. My parents, sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew. It’s always nice to spend as much time as possible when I’m home, which is also difficult with a tight schedule of traveling.
Seeing how fast my niece and nephew are growing up, mostly only seeing them through FaceTime, is definitely difficult.
Torture the Artist: How difficult is it for you to be so far away from home and see your friends and family infrequently?
Anderson: It is a bit difficult. Seeing how fast my niece and nephew are growing up, mostly only seeing them through FaceTime, is definitely difficult. Over the last years of living in Berlin, I’d go home maybe once a year just for holidays/a few gigs. However, this year, I’ll be home at the end of September also for two of my very good friends’ weddings. In total, it will be my third time traveling home this year, so I’m thankful it’s been frequent.
Torture the Artist: Do you have plans for more gigs away from Berlin during 2024, after you head to France in mid-June?
Anderson: July 13, I’ll play a techno party in Brandenburg, about 1.5 hours outside of Berlin. Apparently, it’s in an old war bunker, so that will be interesting. Also, I’m well excited because I don’t normally play this realm of techno out for gigs, so it’ll be exciting to explore this a bit more. After that, I’ll head to Amsterdam on July 20 to play a joint party between the agency I’m on (Weaver Agency) and RPU. It’s been a while since I’ve played in Amsterdam, so I’m well excited for that. Also, at the end of August, I’ll play Dimensions Festival in Croatia, my first time attending and the first festival of this caliber that I’ll play! I’m well excited for that also.
Torture the Artist: Where would you love to play (venue or destination) that you haven’t yet, and why?
Anderson: An easy answer would be Panorama Bar, of course. But a goal I’ve had recently is to play at Heideglühen, also here in Berlin. I love the atmosphere there; it’s a very welcoming and warm place to go see my friends play. Great sound system, long sets, and simple but effective decor. So if you’re reading this Woody, I’d love to come play sometime. Don’t let the lack of house/disco turn you away, I’ve got heaps of it on my shelf. <smiles>
Torture the Artist: You’ve had a really strong few years with releases, your “Love Bomb EP” on Do It Yourself making big waves in recent months. How satisfying is it to have your music so well received at the moment, with support coming from all quarters?
Anderson: It’s hard to express, but I’m always insanely grateful when I hear positive feedback on EPs or music I’ve made. It’s a very personal thing for me, making music. I hardly ever have the audience or DJ in mind when producing a song. So when it lands on all levels, i.e., dance floor effective, positive audience response, and positive DJ response, it really makes me inspired to keep going and try even harder.
Torture the Artist: What’s been the release of yours that advanced your career the most?
Anderson: I have to give a shout to my home base of Wex. One of my best friend’s labels that I’ve been releasing on for almost 10 years now. We were doing parties together in NYC in 2014/2015, then he moved to Berlin. Marco Malpeso is the head honcho for the label, and I just make music for the label/provide feedback when possible. Without Marco and having his trust in my music and giving it an outlet on vinyl via Wex, I’d probably not be as far along in my career as I am now. Love you, Wex.
Torture the Artist: You’re based in Berlin now; when did you make the decision to relocate from the US, and is there anything particular you miss about the States, with the cultures being quite different?
Anderson: I made the decision in about 2019, after visiting Berlin for the second time. I had some money saved, working in NYC and Brooklyn as an audio engineer for about 12 years. Then COVID happened, and all live audio “jobs” fell through. So I cracked down on music production and made the official move on June 9, 2022, one day before my 28th birthday. I would say Brooklyn and Berlin cultures can be quite similar, actually. In the last 5-6 years before moving to Berlin, I noticed a lot of music similarities heading towards NYC. Diversity in artists that were performing, duration of parties, and overall atmosphere on the dance floor started to remind me a lot of Berlin. Venues like Nowadays and H0L0 really take dance floor etiquette seriously, with sound system quality, diversity in DJs playing, and respect for one another on and off the dance floor.
I find a lot of immediate creativity comes out naturally during this time, while riding that wave.
Torture the Artist: Being in Berlin, with such a vibrant scene, how has this impacted your music, both in terms of what you produce and also what you play?
Anderson: I normally go out when friends are playing, maybe a bit biased, but I just love the music all of my friends who live/play here make. It can definitely be very inspiring. After most events I go to, I’ll kick on at home and work on music post-party. I find a lot of immediate creativity comes out naturally during this time, while riding that wave. It doesn’t feel forced or lacking in any sort of creative outlet.
Torture the Artist: What’s your go-to record store in Berlin, and why?
Anderson: At the moment, my top favorite is definitely Latitude Records. It has an insane “Lucky Dip” section where you can find loads of forgotten gems, all ranging from 2-5 euros. After that, I would say Sound Metaphors, doing really nice reissues of 80’s and 90’s electronic music. They also have great “dollar bins”. That’s where I thrive, digging around the uncategorized cheap bins for 6 hours and walking out with 5-6 gems amongst it all.
Torture the Artist: When asking artists why they come to Berlin, the answer often is, because there are so many other artists living there and it basically is an invitation to collaborate. However, when then asking how many tracks they’ve finished with artists from Berlin, it turns out that working with other artists in the city is not as effective as they wish it would be. How many failed collaborations have you had, or are you rather producing alone?
Anderson: I’ve certainly collaborated with a fair amount of people/friends in Berlin. The sessions went quite smoothly and well. However, I wouldn’t say just because the songs haven’t been finished yet, it counts as a failure. They’ll always be on the hard drive with an invitation to work on them again. But on that topic, I do work way more efficiently alone. As producers, we like the sounds and methods we are accustomed to, and collaboration breaks down that singular mentality. Which can really be a great thing to get yourself outside of the norm.
Torture the Artist: Will we find you at any festivals over the summer and, if so, which ones?
Anderson: At the moment, the only festival I’ll be playing at is Dimensions Festival in Croatia. Very grateful to be a part of this festival. I’ve only heard great things from friends who have attended and other friends who have played in previous years.
Torture the Artist: What have you got release/remix-wise coming up in the second half of the year?
Anderson: I have a few more self-releases lined up at the moment for my digital label D.I.Y (Do It Yourself). Some more Day By Day (Wex sublabel) songs in the works, and some other collaborational/split EPs/solo EPs for some labels I can’t mention at the moment. <smiles>
Torture the Artist: You are responsible for the latest art(our mix series). Where and when is your contribution best listened to, and why?
Anderson: I think it can be best listened to at an after-party at someone’s flat. This is the mindset I was in when I recorded the mix, so I think it will translate into that atmosphere easily. It’s an all-vinyl mix recorded on my crappy home setup. And all records I bought at shops during my May-June tour. I would’ve liked to throw in some original/unreleased music in there, but I haven’t got any CDJs at home. Coincidentally, all of the artwork on the records was black and white, fitting for Torture The Artist aesthetic. <smiles>
Torture the Artist: Why are you the next big thing in the scene?
Anderson: Eh, I do what I do & I like what I like. If other people enjoy it and are along for the ride, that’s cool with me. One Love!
Words by Al Bradley & Holger Breuer
Torture the Artist 