Friday, March 14, 2008

Matthew Dear @ Hiro Ballroom - Mar 13, 2008

Don't Go This Way

Matthew Dear's debut album Asa Breed is one of the most underrated albums of 2007. Even myself, who bought it and listened to it quite a few times, didn't realize how much I like it. All those perceptions came up last night when I saw Matthew Dear's live show, as Big Hands, where he clearly showed he is one of the most defying genre mixers in electronic music right now. I don't know if I write that right (excuse me, English is not my first language), but I think you got the idea. I left Hiro Ballroom last night quite impressed.


Last year I missed out when Matthew played a show at Mercury Lounge in support of his fantastic Asa Breed, but since I knew he moved to NYC I figured there were going to come plenty of opportunities to see him live at least once. Well, it hadn't been quite like that. Even though Matthew has been playing around, it turns out he has several monikers to do it. As a DJ, that is as Audion, he has played several times this year and I have heard he is decent and knows how to carry a party on, but that he is nothing really special at it. As a live act, I can be now one more person to tell you that he is nothing lesser than excellent.


Matthew came out sometime around midnight in some extremely tight black pants. I don't know how he was standing, cause I doubt there was any blood going down to his feet. He looks like his music... elegant, sort of European style, but with a mix of a latin and hipster look. Mr. Dear stands in front of his band, a drummer and a bassist, with his voice manipulator, a computer and his moves. Nice moves. We were delighted with the best songs of Asa Breed and a couple of new songs, including the one that recently has been posted on all blogs around, the icy Don't Go This Way. This new song was not included on his debut album, adn hearing how good it is I wonder what else he has kept hidden. Show us Mathhew. [photos of the show]

♫♫♫♫♪

Were you at the show? How did you like it?


Matthew Dear Links: Stream Asa Breed, Official Website, MySpace, Wikipedia, at Ghostly

3 comments:

Reza Mahmoodshahi said...

I bought Asa Breed at minitek. I don't like the album with the exception of the tracks
"Fleece on Brain" and "Shy." His vocals rub me the wrong way. Maybe I need to hear him live to appreciate it. I prefer his work under the moniker "False" and his album 2007, which in my view is the single best minimal release out there.

I'm not sure what each of monikers entails. Leave Luck to Heaven is also a fantastic release albeit less minimal than 2007... I do admittedly always skip the two tracks on there with vocals :)

Unknown said...

I know u did. I find his minimal stuff ok, but out of all of his releases Asa Breed is the one that is more fun to listen to.

Thinking of minimal, did you listen to Gui Boratto's Chromophobia (2007)? and Ellen Allien's Sool (2008)?

Unknown said...

And yes, his vocals are not his strong :)